April 22, 2009

Open forums scheduled for College of Science dean candidates

Each forum will include a presentation from the candidate and an opportunity for audience members to ask questions. A 30-minute reception will follow each forum.

Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering, is chairing the committee that conducted the national candidate search.

"We have selected four outstanding candidates who will come to campus to share their vision for the college with the Purdue community," Jamieson said. "The high caliber of candidates highlights the reputation of the College of Science as an institution of academic excellence. We look forward to the presentations and to receiving feedback from the community."

Candidates and their open forum dates are:

* Jeffrey T. Roberts, chair and Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota. Roberts will speak at a forum from 9:30-10:30 a.m. May 1 in the Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142. The forum also will be broadcast in Room 3102.

* Patricia Rankin, associate vice chancellor for faculty diversity and development and professor of physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Rankin will speak at a forum from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, May 4, in the Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142. The forum also will be broadcast in Room 3102.

* Robert E. Continetti, chair and Kurt Shuler Scholar in Physical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California at San Diego. Continetti will speak at a forum from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in Stewart Center, Room 206.

* Pierre V. Sokolsky, dean of the College of Science and professor of physics at the University of Utah. Sokolsky will speak at a forum from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, in Stewart Center, Room 206.

The candidates' curriculum vitae are available online at https://www.science.purdue.edu/dean_candidates.asp

The committee is searching for a successor to Jeffrey Vitter, who was the Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science from 2002-2008 before being named the provost and executive vice president for academics at Texas A&M University. Jon Harbor, who has been associate vice president for research for centers and institutes since 2007, is currently serving as interim dean.

Writer: Elizabeth Gardner, 765-494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

Source: Leah Jamieson, 765-494-5346, lhj@purdue.edu

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

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