USC Dornsife’s new dean on the value of the liberal arts – and what sets the College apart

What inspired a leading physicist to take the helm of USC’s liberal arts college?

For James S. Bullock, it was the opportunity to lead an institution known not only for its world-class research and societal impact, but also for interdisciplinary learning that prepares students to succeed in work and life.

Before becoming a Trojan, Bullock served as dean of the School of Physical Sciences at UC Irvine. He stepped into his new role as dean of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences on July 1 and has spent his early weeks listening to faculty and staff, connecting with students and learning the College from the inside out.

In this Q&A, Bullock shares what’s impressed him most so far, how a liberal arts education prepares students for an unpredictable world and why he believes USC Dornsife is uniquely positioned to help tackle society’s most urgent challenges.

What interested you in leading USC Dornsife?

What really excited me is the College’s combination of intellectual breadth and shared purpose. We’ve had multiple Nobel Prize winners, and two of our current professors have Pulitzers. That’s impressive. And once I got to know the place, met the faculty, staff and students, it was immediately obvious that people here aren’t just doing excellent work – they believe in the mission. That’s not something you can create from scratch. It was already here, and I found that incredibly energizing.

It’s true that USC Dornsife is the academic heart of the university; that’s not just a slogan. We’re the engine of discovery, the foundation of the student experience, the place where disciplines collide in meaningful ways. Even amid the challenges we’re experiencing, I’ve seen how people here link arms and move forward together. That kind of resilience and commitment tells me everything I needed to know about the type of community this is.

In a world where jobs and workplaces are changing rapidly, how does a liberal arts education prepare students for success?

If we’re being honest, no one really knows what the world will look like 15 years from now. So, the best thing we can do for our students is give them the kind of education that stays perpetually relevant and provides them the agility to lead through change. That means teaching them how to think critically, communicate clearly, and make decisions based on evidence — whether that evidence is historical, cultural or scientific.

Whatever careers they pursue, including careers that don’t exist now, those skills will never be obsolete.

We’re also exploring new ways to formally recognize the transferable skills that Dornsife students develop, especially those that have tremendous practical value in the workplace. I’m not ready to spill all the details just yet, but I’m excited about where it’s headed. We want students to leave here with more than foundational degrees that prepare them to thrive well into the future. We also want them to graduate with documented evidence of specific capabilities that bring practical value from day one.

Beyond preparing students for career success, do you think there’s a deeper role the liberal arts play in our lives and society?

Without question. In today’s society, we often define progress in terms of curing diseases, improving technology, building more sustainable energy systems, etc. — and the liberal arts are essential to all of that. They provide the context, ethical grounding and creative thinking that make those breakthroughs possible and impactful. Beyond that, they help us grapple with some of life’s biggest questions — questions about meaning, morality, and our place in the world.

So, while we’re inventing new cures and addressing climate change, we’re also cultivating the human spirit. That’s what the liberal arts make possible.

What do you see as Dornsife’s greatest strengths? And what is a strength that this community might not recognize about itself?

First off, the level of talent here is extraordinary. Faculty, staff, students — across the board, we’re operating at a very high level. There’s intellectual excellence, but also a real commitment to each other and to the mission of the College. That’s not something you can take for granted in academia.

And the way I’ve seen this community respond to challenges is genuinely inspiring. People here don’t fracture under pressure. They pull together. That’s the kind of environment where people do their best work. It’s also the kind of culture I try to foster as a leader: collaborative, steady, and always focused on what we can accomplish together.

That said, I think there’s still a lot of excellence that flies under the radar. Sometimes, even within Dornsife, we don’t realize what’s happening just one hallway over. I’d love to see more of that brilliance brought to light, across departments and disciplines.

What excites you most about the role of Dornsife in today’s world?

We’re in one of the world’s great global cities, which offers us incredible opportunities. The problems we grapple with here in L.A. are the same challenges — or a preview of the challenges — confronting cities around the world. Rising temperatures, access to clean air and water, inequality, misinformation, and cybersecurity, to name just a few.

What helps make USC Dornsife powerful is that we’re not just studying those issues, we’re exploring solutions. If we can make something work here, there’s a good chance it can work in Mumbai, Mexico City or Manila. That’s the feedback loop. This region strengthens our relevance globally, and our global perspective makes our local work even stronger.

Of all the challenges the world is facing, what’s one that you believe Dornsife is especially well-positioned to tackle?

There are many, but one that really resonates with me is sustainability. But I’m not just talking about carbon capture or climate modeling, though those are crucial. I’m talking about the kind of solutions that only emerge when scientists, economists, historians, policy experts, and artists are all in the same room, working together. That’s where Dornsife excels.

When we ignore the cultural and societal dynamics behind a problem — whatever the issue — even the best science can fall flat. That’s where the liberal arts come in. We ask not only “Can we?” but also “Should we?” and “How do we make this work for everyone?” Across nearly every department at USC Dornsife, our experts are asking these questions. And when it comes to sustainability, they’re helping shift the narrative from doom and gloom to one of hope and possibility.

How important is it for scholars to share their expertise beyond academia?

It’s incredibly important, especially now, when public trust in institutions is shaky. Scholars have a powerful role to play, not just as researchers or teachers, but as communicators. That doesn’t mean everyone has to be on social media or giving TED Talks. But when someone has a talent for explaining complex ideas in a relatable way, that’s something we should celebrate and support.

For a long time, some academics worried that public engagement might make them seem less “serious” in their field. But that perception is shifting — and for good reason. Sharing knowledge beyond the academy isn’t just good PR; it’s how we help solve real problems and strengthen democracy. Dornsife is helping lead that shift. The more we open the door and let people see what we’re working on and why it matters, the stronger our society becomes.

As a cosmologist, how has your research shaped the way you see the world?

You can’t spend your life studying the structure of the universe without feeling a little humbled. You start to see how small we really are; just a tiny flicker on a rock orbiting a star in a galaxy among billions. And yet, here we are, trying to understand it all. That’s kind of beautiful.

What’s also fascinating is how the biggest questions about the cosmos often come down to human impulses: curiosity, wonder, imagination. In that way, I think science and the arts have more in common than people realize. They’re both ways of seeking truth, just through different lenses.

So, what do you do when you’re not working?

Well, I’ve got a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old. So these days, I mostly try to convince them to hang out with me. It’s hit or miss.

I like to swim in the ocean, not competitively or anything. Just jump in and float for a while. It clears my head. I read a lot. And I still spend time on cosmology research when I can. That’s the fun part now — research brings me a lot of joy and the chance to work closely with students. It’s something I can’t see giving up any time soon.

I’ve also discovered that my daughters are much more excited about me working at USC than they ever were about me being an astrophysicist. So I guess I’ve finally made it.