MINERAL ENGINEERING AND AGRICULTURE & LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SCHOOL DEANS NAMED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2000

Fairbanks, Alaska - University of Alaska Fairbanks Provost Paul Reichardt has appointed two, long-time professors to interim dean positions at the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management and the UAF School of Mineral Engineering. Their appointments come on the heels of the just-announced retirement of current SALRM interim director Fred Husby and the decision to relocate by SME director Bob Trent.

Professor and head of UAF's civil and environmental engineering department Bob Carlson will take over as School of Mineral Engineering interim dean while professor of resource management Carol E. Lewis will lead the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management.

"I have great confidence in both of these faculty members who have demonstrated their understanding of UAF's unique teaching, research and public service missions," Reichardt said.

Interim SME Dean Bob Carlson has been with UAF's School of Engineering since 1965. He has served as civil engineering professor and department head. He has also served as a professor and director of UAF's Institute of Water Resources.

Carlson received his master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1965, followed by a Ph.D. from the same institution in 1967. His areas of research are northern hydrology, river engineering and engineering systems analysis and design. He is a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin and Alaska.

"Bob is known throughout the state as an outstanding engineer and a dedicated engineering educator," Provost Reichardt said. "He has the enthusiastic support of SME faculty and SME's external constituents. I am certain he will provide excellent leadership for SME's programs during this time of transition. "

Professor of Resource Management Carol E. Lewis has been with UAF since 1973, serving as resource department head for 10 years. As professor, she specializes in management, marketing and economic analysis for resource development.

Lewis received her Ph.D. in physics from Georgetown University in 1971 and has a bachelor's and master's degree in mathematics from the University of Florida. She came to UAF from the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. She received an MBA from UAF in 1976. Her research interests include working with communities and community leaders to implement sustainable, resource-based economic development.

"As a long-time faculty member who has been heavily involved in SALRM's programs, Carol has an excellent background for this job," Reichardt said. "Her colleagues have expressed a high level of confidence in her leadership abilities, and I look forward to working with her in her new position."

Reichardt pointed out that both professors have been with UAF through many changes, including the formation in 1997 of the College of Natural Resource Development and Management. The merger of the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management, the School of Mineral Engineering and the School of Management into a new college was the result of a 1994 statewide program assessment process, aimed at finding ways to streamline the university to adjust to declining state revenues.

At their June 2000 meeting, the Board of Regents approved the elimination of the college and returned the three schools to independent status. The action was taken because the merged college had provided no administrative efficiencies nor demonstrated any significant cost savings.

A national search for permanent deans of UAF's mineral engineering and agriculture and land management schools will begin this fall. Jim Collins remains dean of UAF's School of Management.

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CONTACT: Civil Engineering Professor Bob Carlson, 907-474-6120, Natural Resource Professor Carol Lewis, 907-474-7670, or Editorial Specialist Todd Paris, 907-474-7939.

DPD/7-6-00/01-002