Heenan says that Garber will be an asset in figuring out “how to take the programmatic opportunities that exist, how to envision the future of science, life-science, and...what happens inside the physical structures.”
“There is an increasing coalescence around the future in Allston,” Heenan adds. “He’ll, of course, want to spend time there.”
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
Many of Garber’s former and future colleagues note that he is a man who has a history of listening, of integrating perspectives and seeing the big picture, qualities that will serve him well in taking up the challenges presented by Harvard’s future in Allston.
As a young graduate student David M. Cutler ’87, a Harvard professor of applied economics and global health, knew he could not pass up the opportunity to speak with the well-known economist at a conference both were attending.
“I was a first or second year graduate, and he took a fair amount of time to speak with me,” says Cutler, a former dean of the social sciences, remembering the surprise he felt when Garber agreed unhesitatingly.
Cutler says that the respect he gained for the man who exchanged thoughts with him has not faltered. From paving new paths in health care policy to running the Boston marathon, Garber has made a favorable impression on colleagues at both Stanford and Harvard.
“Alan is very respected here,” Cutler says. “Every time there’s has been a search for a health care policy position that I’ve been a part of his name came up.”
For these reasons, Garber found himself in a similar situation 20 years later. Instead of a student seeking advice, it was Faust seeking a provost. She invited him to lunch one January afternoon when she was visiting California. Just a few months later, she announced his appointment to the post.
Fresh off the California coast, Garber has experience integrating different disciplines within a university, according to his colleagues. Before Garber accepted the position at Harvard, he was in the midst of organizing a Stanford-wide program on health care affordability—according to Paul G. Yock, professor of medicine at Stanford and Garber’s friend for the past 30 years.
“He is able to see issues broadly, mobilize a broad stakeholder community, and then execute effectively,” Yock says of the project, which has not yet been completed. He adds that these skills, along with Garber’s deep engagement with his current community, will be major assets for his role in Allston.
“He’s a real citizen in every respect,” Yock says.
Yock adds that Garber’s hybrid background in science, health care, and economics will provide him with the wisdom necessary to drive home Harvard’s plans for Allston.
“I think in selecting Alan Garber to serve as provost, Harvard has improved its capacity to deal with a very challenging set of issues,” says Coit D. Blacker, a professor of international studies at Stanford, when asked about Garber’s role in Allston planning.
“I think he can drive the process very, very effectively, at the same time I think he can help Drew Faust provide very high quality leadership as we all head into the second decade of the twenty-first century,” Blacker says. “He thinks institutionally and that’s why he’s great for Harvard,” he adds.
Though the specifics of how Garber will shape Harvard’s expansion in Allston remain unclear, Harvard administrators say that they believe he is up for the challenge.
“I have every confidence that Alan will step in and continue the progress that has been made on moving forward,” Hyman says, adding that he believes Garber will “relish” the opportunity.
—Staff writer Tara W. Merrigan can be reached at tmerrigan@college.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Nathalie R. Miraval can be reached at nmiraval@college.harvard.edu.