UVM has come one step closer to finding its next provost this week as the provost and senior vice president search committee narrowed its search down to four finalists.The finalists include Dr. Laura Steinberg of Syracuse University, Dr. Robert Newman of the University of Utah, Dr. David Rosowsky of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Dr. Phillip Yeagle of Rutgers University, according to an email sent by Dean of Honors College Abu Rizvi and the provost search committee April 23.All four candidates could be found on campus this past week meeting with faculty panels, deans, chairs of the Presidential Commissions and senior leaders. Each applicant also held a forum one day this week starting Monday, with the fourth candidate, Yeagle, set to speak this afternoon in Waterman?s Memorial Lounge.Laura Steinberg currently serves as the Dean of the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. With engineering degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and Duke, Steinberg has also served as chair of the department of environmental and civil engineering at Southern Methodist University and has taught at George Washington University and Tulane, according to her CV.At the University of Utah, Robert Newman is the current dean of humanities where he also served as a professor of English, a special advisor to the senior vice president for academic affairs and the associate vice president for interdisciplinary studies according to his CV. Before that, Newman had taught English at the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M University. He graduated with degrees in English and literature from Pennsylvania State University, Goddard College and UNC Chapel Hill.David Rosowsky?s is the current dean of engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Prior to this, his CV states he was the head of Texas A&M?s civil engineering department. He has degrees in civil engineering from Tufts University and received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University. Rounding out the candidates is Phillip Yeagle, the interim chancellor at Rutgers University, where he also served as dean of the faculty of arts and sciences until 2011, his CV stated. In addition, Yeagle has also been the department of molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut. He has authored over 150 journal articles and seven books, and he received chemistry degrees from the University of Cambridge in England and St. Olaf College as well as his PhD from Duke University. Former Provost Jane Knodell left her position Jan. 1 of this year to resume her faculty position in UVM?s economics department. Running on the Progressive ticket, Knodell was also recently elected Ward 2 City Councillor this past March.Since January, professor emeritus in molecular physiology and biophysics Robert Low has served as interim provost. This week both Rizvi and President Sullivan have sent separate emails to the University community asking students, faculty and staff to take an active role in the provost search.?It is essential that we select the right individual for this critical role,? Sullivan stated in his email sent yesterday. While the salary for the University?s next provost has not been verified yet, Knodell was paid $270,000 a year when she left office.Information about the candidates and the search process is available on the committee?s website at http://www.uvm.edu/president/provsrch/?Page=input_provostsearch.html.