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University of Minnesota distinguished professor and department head named dean of Purdue College of Science

Jeffrey Roberts, chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, has been named Purdue University's Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science.

The appointment, effective at the start of the fall semester in August, was announced Tuesday (June 16) by Provost Randy Woodson and is subject to approval by Purdue's board of trustees.

"Jeff Roberts is a distinguished scientist and outstanding academic leader who emerged as the top candidate in our national search," Woodson said. "His vision for science research and education, and his tremendous capabilities as a leader, will ensure the continued national prominence of the College of Science at Purdue University.

Read more of this story at the Purdue News Service

Scenes from the Hubble mission of College of Science alumnus Andrew Feustel

Andrew Feustel, an alumnus of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and NASA mission specialist, is taking part in the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, an operation designed to extend and improve the orbiting observatory's capabilities for at least another five years of research. As a mission specialist, Feustel is in charge of stowing hardware and is responsible for the onboard computer network. It is his first mission.

• Purdue news release on Feustel's mission
• The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science
• NASA site on the Hubble mission

Building a new energy economy

The White House today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science will invest $777 million in Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) over the next five years.

In a major effort to accelerate the scientific breakthroughs needed to build a new 21st-century energy economy, 46 new multi-million-dollar EFRCs will be established at universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private firms across the nation.

Supported in part by funds made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), the EFRCs will bring together groups of leading scientists to address fundamental issues in fields ranging from solar energy and electricity storage to materials sciences, biofuels, advanced nuclear systems, and carbon capture and sequestration (synopses of the 46 EFRC awards).

Open forums scheduled for College of Science dean candidates

Purdue University Provost Randy Woodson will announce on Wednesday (April 22) that public forums will begin on May 1 for the four finalists for the dean of the College of Science.

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, which conducted a 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. Friday (May 1) in the Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142.
• 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.
• 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 here.

The committee is searching for a successor to Jeffrey Vitter, who was the Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science from 2002 to 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.

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