Loretta Sweet Jemmott has been named Assistant Provost effective May 1. In her new position, which was announced by Provost Robert Barchi April 13, Jemmott will have primary responsibility for gender and minority issues at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jemmott is currently the van Ameringen Professor in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing in Penn’s Nursing School and director of its Center for Urban Health Research. Her research focuses on health issues affecting women and minorities. She is considered one of the nation’s leading psychiatric mental health nurses engaged in research on HIV risk reduction. Her work in that field among African-American and Latino youth has led to the development of three risk-reduction curricula that have been adopted as national models by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As Assistant Provost, Jemmott will work to continue recruitment, retention, education and celebration of women and people of color.