A professor of applied geophysics has been selected to become vice provost for scholarly support at Kansas University.

Don Steeples will replace Rich Givens, who will return to a full-time teaching role following seven years as vice provost.

Steeples’ responsibilities will include space allocation, faculty start-up packages, research administration, environmental health and safety and support for graduate teaching and research assistants.

Steeples came to KU in 1975 as a research associate for the groundwater section of the Kansas Geological Survey. He became a distinguished professor at KU in 1993.