Science dean finalist visits this week

The third of four candidates for the dean’s position in the College of Science at SIUC will visit campus starting today, Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Michael S. Jacobson will meet with a variety of University and College of Science personnel during his three-day visit. He is scheduled to give a presentation titled "Science in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Universities," at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, in room 1059 in Life Science III. The presentation time includes an open forum, during which members of the campus community and general public can meet with him.

Jacobson is chairman of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center. He earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics at State University of New York at Stony Brook, a master's of science in mathematics and doctorate in mathematics from Emory University.

Previous candidates visiting SIUC included Charles J. Amlaner Jr. and Jay C. Means.

Officials also plan to interview a fourth candidate, John Briggs, who will visit campus Thursday, March 1, and Friday, March 2. Briggs is a professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, where is also co-director of the Central Arizona Phoenix: Long-Term Ecological Research Program.

The candidates are vying for the position left vacant by Jack Parker, who retired last year. Professor James Tyrrell is filling in as interim dean for now.