Provost finalists to make on-campus presentations

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Three finalists for Purdue University provost will be on campus for two-day interviews this month, the search committee announced Monday (April 7). Finalists will meet with various groups and make public presentations to the university community on April 14-15, April 16-17 and April 21-22.

Tim Zwier, interim head of the Department of Chemistry and chair of the search committee, said as part of the process finalists will make a 30-minute public presentation and then take questions from those in attendance.

"We have three outstanding candidates coming to campus, and we encourage all faculty, staff and students to take part in this crucial stage of the search," Zwier said.

Feedback on the candidates is requested, and an online tool will be provided on the provost candidate website at http://www.purdue.edu/provost/search.

Purdue's next provost will succeed Tim Sands, who will leave Purdue at the end of the spring semester to become president of Virginia Tech University.

Finalists and their presentation times are below. The candidates' full curriculum vitae are available at http://www.purdue.edu/provost/search.

* Christine M. Maziar, University of Notre Dame, is vice president and senior associate provost and professor of electrical and computer engineering. She also has served as senior vice president for academic affairs and provost and vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at University of Minnesota, and vice provost and professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Maziar is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Maziar will present at 9:30 a.m. April 14 in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center.

* Debasish Dutta, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is associate provost and dean of the graduate college, the Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, and a professor of industrial and enterprise systems engineering. He also is the chancellor's advisor on diversity and cultural understanding, is scholar-in-residence for the National Academy of Engineering, a member of the Illinois Arts Education Advisory Committee and the American Society for Engineering Education representative to the Lifelong Learning in Engineering Working Group. Dutta will present at 9:30 a.m. April 16 in Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center.

* Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, University of Connecticut, is the chief executive officer of the Connecticut institute for Clinical and Translational Science; director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering; director of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences; University Professor; professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering; professor of materials engineering; and professor of biomedical engineering. In addition, he is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Chair Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in the School of Medicine. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. From 2008-2011, he served as vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Connecticut. Laurencin will present at 9:30 a.m. April 21 in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center.

Source: Tim Zwier, zwier@purdue.edu