CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Peter D. Constable, a Purdue University professor of veterinary clinical sciences and the head of that department, will become the dean of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in January 2014, pending approval of the U. of I. Board of Trustees.
Herb Whiteley, the dean of the college since 2001, is stepping down and will work on a new initiative for the college after taking a sabbatical.
Constable began his academic career at the U. of I. in 1993 as an assistant professor in the department of veterinary clinical medicine, and served as the interim head of the department from 2004 to 2005, before leaving for Purdue.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Constable back to Illinois to lead the College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Ilesanmi Adesida. “His broad knowledge of the field and commitment to the highest academic principles make him an ideal person for the job.”
In January, Whiteley will begin a sabbatical in preparation for developing collaborations between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Medicine at the U. of I. at Chicago.
“We are grateful for Dr. Whiteley’s many years of leadership and look forward to his continued service to the college and university,” Adesida said.
Constable’s clinical and research interests include acid-base physiology, fluid therapy, shock, calf diarrhea, surgical conditions of the bovine abdomen, biostatistics, pharmacokinetic modeling, veterinary education and the cardiovascular response to endurance training. He has worked as an agricultural animal veterinarian in Australia and as a mixed animal practitioner in England.
He is the editor, a co-editor, or a co-author of three books, including the 10th edition of “Veterinary Medicine: A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs, and Goats.” Constable has co-written more than 180 articles in peer-reviewed publications and 30 book chapters. He serves on the editorial board of three journals.
Constable earned his veterinary degree in 1982 from the University of Melbourne, Australia. He completed an ambulatory internship and food animal medicine and surgery residency at Ohio State University, where he earned his master’s (1989) and doctorate (1992). He is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition.
As dean, Constable will oversee a veterinary college recognized for its innovative approach to veterinary education, which gives students greatly expanded clinical experience throughout the four-year program. Faculty members and students at Illinois engage in multidisciplinary collaborative research on campus and beyond. They also deliver veterinary primary and specialty care for a wide variety of animals.
Constable also will oversee the Chicago Center for Veterinary Medicine. The center includes a primary-care clinic, several veterinary specialties and provides outreach to prospective students from backgrounds underrepresented in the veterinary profession.
