I have enormous respect for Penn State and a deep love and enthusiasm for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in particular. The faculty, staff, and alumni in EMS are superb, and our students are a great source of pride and pleasure. EMS has always been a special college, but over the last four years we have improved in almost every category of scholarship. I am particularly proud of our efforts to set the standard for being student-centered, for major gains in diversity, for growth in our undergraduate population, for creating more camaraderie among the graduate student population, and for the recent record gains in research contracts and grants. We have much of which to be proud.
Eric Barron
All of these factors have made it extremely difficult to make the decision to leave Penn State. Many of you may have heard that the geosciences program at the University of Texas at Austin received a $285 million unrestricted gift from a single donor given for the sole purpose of creating a great school of Geosciences. The three units in the School are already very fine programs. Such a gift is unprecedented in my field, and perhaps for any single program at a U.S. university. At the time it was the largest gift to a public institution in U.S. history. As Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, and Director of a now nearly $400 million foundation, the opportunities to build a premier program are unlike any other. I admit that I am drawn to the opportunity of having abundant resources to match a wide range of ideas that I have to support students and research in my personal discipline. I will also have an endowed chair for my full faculty life that will support my personal research. Despite these resources, the decision was extremely difficult for me. EMS is such a tremendous place to work, and I have served you with great pleasure. However, I decided to accept the formal offer from the University of Texas at Austin. I will be starting my new position on August 1, 2006.
I appreciate your friendship and support over the last four years and my many interactions with students during my 20-year career at Penn State. I want to close with the note that I remain committed to the success of the College. I have been discussing each major decision about the College over the last several weeks with the Provost. I will continue to make decisions based on what I firmly believe will be in the best interests of the College. The future success of the College is extremely important to me. I have every confidence that the next leader will be equally committed to our unique college and that the transition will be a smooth one.
Thank you for being a great part of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Barron, a distinguished professor of geosciences, joined the Penn State faculty in 1986 as an associate professor and as the first director of the Earth System Science Center. During his tenure as dean, Barron led the college in becoming student-centered through initiatives such as a new, expanded orientation program and building renovations to enhance a sense of community. He also led the college in major gains in diversity, growth in undergraduate enrollment and record gains in research contracts and grants.
Barron received a B.S. in geology from Florida State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Miami. He was a post doctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and was an associate professor of oceanography at the University of Miami before joining Penn State. Having chaired multiple NASA and National Research Council committees, Barron has been honored by Penn State and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences with several teaching and research awards.
Dr. Rob Crane, Associate Dean for Education and Professor of Geography, has accepted appointment as Interim Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, effective August 1, 2006. Dr. Crane has been a member of the College faculty since 1985 and in his current position as associate dean since 1993, so he is well-equipped to keep the College moving forward during this time of transition.
