Scott Strobel will be replacing Michael Donoghue as vice president for West Campus planning and program development next semester, according to an e-mail from University President Richard Levin this morning.

Donoghue, who has headed West Campus administration since 2008, informed Levin and Provost Peter Salovey during the summer that he wanted to teach and continue research during the spring semester. He will be leaving six months before the scheduled end of his term.

Donoghue headed the development of West Campus’ five science research institutes and six core facilities, as well as its conservation and digitization centers for Yale’s libraries and museums.

Strobel, chair of the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry department for four years, recently served on the West Campus Microbial Diversity Institute Committee. He is well known for his “Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory” course in which students get hands-on experience in an expedition to an Ecuadorian rainforest.

Strobel will assume his new position on January 1, 2011, according to Levin’s e-mail.