Brett Wright, dean emeritus of Clemson’s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, now leads both a collaborative higher education effort to save wild tigers and a Clemson institute devoted to the academic study of sports sciences.
With the arrival of Leslie Hossfeld as dean of the college on July 1, Wright immediately transitioned to his new roles as director of both the U.S. Tiger University Consortium and the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. Wright leads both initiatives and oversees the research grants for both programs. He said he is thrilled to continue work on these important initiatives for the University.
“Both the consortium and the institute have always been extremely important to me, and I know I’m not alone when I say the work coming out of both of them is exciting and vital,” Wright said. “I look forward to seeing what they will both accomplish in the future, and I know I’m in good company with the many faculty and staff members who continue to be involved in these initiatives.”
According to Robert H. Jones, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Clemson University, it only makes sense that Wright would continue to work within both the consortium and institute given his long history of leadership within both of them.
Jones has been a witness to the exciting work and research coming out of the Brooks institute. He also accompanied Wright on a trip to India, where they worked with fellow faculty in the U.S. Tiger University Consortium to take a closer look at conditions affecting wild tiger populations.

“That trip made it clear that he is passionate about the work to save the animal that everyone at Clemson holds dear,” Jones said. “I have no doubt that Brett will devote himself to this effort and to the vital work of the sports science institute to promote and further examine the role of sports in academia and society.”
For the U.S. Tiger University Consortium, Wright coordinates the work Clemson does to preserve wild tiger populations with Auburn University, Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri. In this role, he will coordinate research of Indian Ph.D. students and work with deans and provosts from partner institutions to build public awareness and support for the consortium’s work.
The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute began in the 1990s thanks to the generosity of the late Roberts H. Brooks. The institute supports research and scholarships as well as legacy professors named for Brooks’ son and three colleagues who died in a 1993 plane crash. In addition to providing direction for the institute, Wright plays an active role in distributing grant monies to faculty working on initiatives tied to the goals of the institute.
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