September 9, 2008

Search committee named to find candidates for next dean of science

Leah H. Jamieson, John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering, is chairing the committee.

The committee will search for a successor to Jeffrey Vitter, who became provost and executive vice president for academics at Texas A&M University last month. He had been the Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science since 2002.

Provost Randy Woodson said he believes the committee will help generate a strong field of candidates.

"It's important for us to select a leader with vision who will continue Purdue's high standards and grow this top college in line with our strategic plan," Woodson said. "Dean Jamieson is leading a strong committee that brings years of experience and expertise to the table. In addition, the committee will seek feedback from a variety of sources that will include other deans, professors and students at Purdue."

Committee members are:

* Molly Amstutz, an undergraduate student.

* Patricia Bauman, a professor of mathematics.

* Donna Fekete, a professor of biology.

* Joseph Francisco, William E. Moore Distinguished Professor of Physical Chemistry.

* R. Graham Cooks, Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry.

* Rebecca Doerge, interim head of the statistics department.

* Zenephia Evans, director of multicultural science programs.

* John Finley, professor of physics.

* Nicholas Giordano, department head of physics and Hubert James Distinguished Professor of Physics.

* Susanne Hambrusch, professor of computer science.

* Isidore Julien, College of Science K-12 outreach coordinator.

* Suresh Jagannathan, professor of computer science.

* Noah Diffenbaugh, associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences.

* Chris Staiger, professor of biology.

Jonathan Harbor, associate vice president for research, has been interim dean of the College of Science since Aug. 15. Harbor, who also was interim director of Discovery Park’s Discovery Learning Center, came to Purdue in 2007 from the University of Colorado at Denver, where he had been dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of geography and environmental sciences.

In the next few weeks, Jamieson plans to meet with committee members to formulate a position announcement, then will start reviewing candidates in the late fall. She said once finalists have been chosen, they will be brought to campus for public forums so that students, professors, administrators and the public will have an opportunity to ask them questions.

The dean oversees the College of Science's 325 faculty members, 550 staff members, 1,000 graduate students and 2,800 undergraduate majors, and a total annual budget of $130 million. The dean also is responsible for overseeing activities of the college's seven academic departments: biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics, physics, and statistics. Many programs in the College of Science are ranked within the top 10 nationally.

Writer: Clyde Hughes, (765) 494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu

Sources: Randy Woodson,  woodson@purdue.edu

Leah Jamieson, (765) 494-5346, lhj@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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