Dianne Martin first joined the university in 1983 as a computer science instructor.
At the time, she had already helped put a man on the moon.
In the late 1960s, Dr. Martin was a programmer for IBM assigned to the Apollo space project. She wrote programs on punched cards that helped make possible the first moon landing in 1969. "I was so fortunate to be part of Mission Control during the Apollo 8 mission," she said. "It's an experience I will never forget."
In the 33 years since she joined the university, Dr. Martin has held numerous leadership roles, including chair of the Department of Computer Science, director of the Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute and associate vice president for graduate studies and academic affairs. During the entire time, she taught at least one class per year at GW.
"My fondest memories at the university are the hours spent in the classroom, engaging with students as I taught computer programming and a range of other subjects related to information technology," she said. In 2011, she was named vice provost for faculty affairs.
Interim Provost Forrest Maltzman called Dr. Martin "a tireless advocate of the university and of faculty, from recruitment through retirement."
Under her leadership, he said, the university streamlined the faculty annual report and conflict of interest reporting, produced an updated Faculty Handbook, and organized academic leadership and early career faculty workshops. She enhanced the prominence of the Society of the Emeriti and worked to develop more robust guidelines for evaluating teaching in tenure and promotion cases.
Dr. Martin also made headlines outside of the classroom. A trip she took last year—walking 68 miles of the famed Camino de Santiago in Spain with GW colleagues and close friends Shelly Heller and Toni Marsh—was featured in the Washington Post.
Dr. Heller and Dr. Marsh are far from the only GW faculty who will feel Dr. Martin's absence.
"I am grateful for Dianne's tremendous contributions to the university, our students and, especially, our faculty," said Dr. Maltzman. "She has been an incredible friend and colleague, and our office will sorely miss her."
Dr. Martin will step down Aug. 31, and Dr. Maltzman said the university intends to fill her role internally. The university expects to launch a search committee this month.