Miki Kittilson appointed dean of ASU's College of Global Futures
Miki Kittilson, dean of ASU's College of Global Futures, at the Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health. Photo by Andy DeLisle/ASU Knowledge Enterprise
Miki Kittilson has been appointed dean of Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures, a unit of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory.
“As we enter this next phase of growth for the College of Global Futures, Dean Kittilson’s vision aligns with ASU’s aspiration to build a new kind of college — one that drives global impact at scale,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost.
“She understands the complexity of this challenge and will approach it with a solutions-focused leadership style that will be instrumental in advancing our mission.”
As dean of the College of Global Futures, Kittilson will also work to advance the larger mission of the Global Futures Laboratory, the world’s first comprehensive, university-based approach to ensuring a future where well-being is attainable for all of Earth’s inhabitants.
"I have had the opportunity to witness Dean Kittilson’s leadership in action over the past few years,” said Peter Schlosser, vice president and vice provost of Global Futures and director of the Global Futures Laboratory.
“She is a natural collaborator with a clear vision regarding the potential of the College of Global Futures, the primary learning space of the Global Futures Laboratory. She also has a unique ability to inspire students and colleagues alike."
Kittilson’s background as a first-generation student and ASU graduate shapes her core values and informs her commitment to student access to a top-notch college education and to achieving success by helping students realize their potential for meaningful and prosperous careers.
"As the core learning space of the Global Futures Laboratory, the College of Global Futures operates within a dynamic, purpose-built ecosystem — one designed to tackle our planet’s most pressing challenges,” Kittilson said. “It’s a place where learning isn’t confined to a classroom but woven into the urgent work of building a better world.”
Kittilson served as associate and vice dean during her three years at the College of Global Futures, where she displayed leadership in driving enrollment and fostering innovative program development such as the Global Futures Impact Scholars program.
Kittilson’s 20-year career as a social scientist took a new direction as she learned more about the vision for Global Futures at ASU, and working with new colleagues in the schools of sustainability, innovation, complex systems and ocean futures opened new windows to seeing how political, economic and social structures are critical in shaping a healthier planet.
“The challenges we face today are complex, interconnected and accelerating. We can’t solve them with outdated approaches or incremental progress,” Kittilson said. “We are transforming how knowledge is created, how ideas become action and how we empower future leaders — because the choices we make today shape our futures.”
She has authored four university press books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles in leading journals.
Her co-authored book, "Reimagining the Judiciary: Women’s Representation on High Courts Worldwide" (Oxford University Press, 2022), won an American Political Science Association Award for best book on law and courts.
“I’m honored to lead a college that is driving change — pushing boundaries, embracing innovation and working every day to build a thriving future for all,” Kittilson said.
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