Long-time faculty member Dr. Ronald Castanzo has begun a new role as interim dean for the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences. He assumed the deanship on July 1, following the retirement of Dr. Christine Spencer at the end of June. Dr. Castanzo is a highly respected educator, delivering courses like Cultural Anthropology, Human Environmental Adaptations, and Historical Archaeology, along with courses in the natural sciences including Human Biology and Earth in Focus.
Dr. Castanzo is trained in archaeology, having received both his doctoral and master's degrees from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. from Villanova University, and his undergraduate degree from the University of Scranton.
Having done extensive research in the ancient cultures of Central Mexico, in recent years, Castanzo has turned his skills to a major investigation of a historic site in East Baltimore known as Laurel Cemetery. He provides oversight for the archaeological elements of the project, which is aimed at understanding the site from the perspectives of history, archaeology, and ethnography. In 2025, the Baltimore City Historical Society presented Castanzo and the project with its Historian/Scholar Honors Award for this work. The project has received wide coverage in the media, including the AFRO and The Baltimore Sun. Dr. Castanzo even contributed a chapter to a 2023 book about the project, called A Place for Memory: Baltimore’s Historic Laurel Cemetery.
"Provost Ralph Mueller and I are grateful to Ron for agreeing to serve as interim dean," UBalt President Kurt L. Schmoke said last January, when the appointment was announced to the University community. "The College of Arts and Sciences is in good hands. Dr. Castanzo is a firm believer in the University's values of lifelong learning and solid preparation for community-focused careers. These priorities will continue, seamlessly, as we set off into the future."
Dr. Spencer will remain on the faculty through Academic Year 2026-27, guiding the leadership transition and working on special projects with Provost Mueller.
Learn more about Dr. Castanzo and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.