Johannes “Jan” J. van der Aa named vice chancellor for IT and chief information officer.
Memphis, Tenn. (August 23, 2012) – Steve J. Schwab, MD, chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has announced the
appointment of Johannes “Jan” J. van der Aa, PhD, as vice chancellor for Information Technology (IT) and chief information officer. Dr. van der Aa is
currently the Assistant Vice President, Health Affairs and Director Educational Technologies for the UF&Shands, the University of Florida (UF) Academic
Health Center. At UF, he is responsible for coordinating IT services and resources in support of six health sciences colleges, and five multi-disciplinary
research institutes.
In his new role, Dr. van der Aa will be responsible for collaborating with the constituents of the six UTHSC colleges, associated research entities, and
campus administration to direct and manage IT systems and services. He will also lead and coordinate UTHSC IT operations in tandem with the University of
Tennessee System IT initiatives. By late September, he plans to be on the Memphis campus full time.
“Dr. van der Aa brings a tremendous amount of experience and insight to our organization,” Chancellor Schwab observed. “He understands the special IT needs
and requirements of complex health sciences institutions. Jan also has a proven ability to build strong, positive relationships. Those relationships are an
integral element in supporting IT governance and in the efficient implementation of rapidly changing IT systems and processes. We look forward to welcoming
Jan to our statewide campus community,” he added.
Born in the Netherlands, Dr. van der Aa grew up in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from
Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands in 1978. He moved to Gainesville, Fla., in 1980 and joined the Department of Anesthesiology, College of
Medicine at UF. There he became part of a multifaceted group of physicians, engineers, students, and staff known as Florida Anesthesia Computer and
Engineering Team. The group was involved in interdisciplinary research in biomedical and health care technology, clinical and basic research, and
education. Dr. van der Aa also managed departmental IT services and staff. In 1987, he earned a master’s degree from the UF College of Engineering. Awarded
in 1990, his PhD is in medical electrical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology.
Co-chairs of the 13-member search committee were Alicia Dorsey, PhD, director, Interprofessional Education and Clinical Simulation, and assistant vice
chancellor for UTHSC Academic Affairs, and Mark Scarbecz, PhD, professor and director of Planning Assessment, Department of Bioscience Research, UTHSC
College of Dentistry. Parker Executive Search assisted in identifying and screening candidates.
As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the
benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing
an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. In 2011, UT Health Science Center celebrated its centennial: 100 years
advancing the future of health care. Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and
includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The UTHSC campus in Knoxville includes
a College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and an Allied Health Sciences unit. In addition, the UTHSC Chattanooga campus includes a College of Medicine
and an Allied Health Sciences unit. Since its founding in 1911, UTHSC has educated and trained more than 53,000 health care professionals on campuses and
in health care facilities across the state. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.
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