Friday, December 16, 2005
Dr. Scott Gordon appointed dean of Pott College of Science and Engineering
 Dr. Scott A. Gordon, a specialist in mycology and professor of biology, has been appointed dean of the Pott College of Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Indiana, effective January 3, 2006. He has served as acting dean since March 2005, and he was associate dean for four years prior to that. “Dr. Gordon came to USI as a faculty member and moved into administration as associate dean of the Pott College,” said Dr. Linda Bennett, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. “His experience in the college office along with his high level of energy and enthusiasm will make him a very effective representative of the College. I am looking forward to working with Dr. Gordon as the Pott College of Science and Engineering continues its reputation for excellence in science and engineering.” “I want to see the Pott College of Science and Engineering distinguish itself as a regionally known center for excellence in educating future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers,” Dr. Gordon said. “With strong academic programs and support for student-faculty research, USI and the Pott College of Science and Engineering are poised to become the college of choice for top student scholars within the state.” He added, “We have diverse and challenging programs and a student friendly environment.” The establishment of closer relationships with local business and industry plus development of an academic program across other academic disciplines on campus are other projects on the new dean’s agenda. He also plans to establish closer ties with high school math, science, and technology teachers in the region. He said, “I think it is important to establish regular communication with the high schools who send us students and with the businesses, industries, and other entities who employ our graduates.” Dr. Gordon’s recent research activities are related to higher education issues. He has surveyed academic deans in other institutions to better understand the policies, procedures, and practices used by colleges and universities in institutionalizing a broader view of faculty work through the four domains of scholarship advanced by Ernest Boyer, a national voice in American education who served as president of the Carnegie Foundation, United States Commissioner of Education, and chancellor of the State University of New York. Boyer describes scholarship beyond an emphasis on scholarship of discovery, to include the scholarships of integration, application, and teaching. Dr. Gordon is the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) faculty athletic representative for USI, and in 2005 he was selected as an NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative Fellow. As a fellow, he has been instrumental in developing policy and practice for faculty athletic representatives across the United States and has been instrumental in working to develop and pass NCAA legislation. As athletic representative, he oversees the academic eligibility standards of the 13 varsity sports in the USI Intercollegiate Athletics program. He holds the office of treasurer for the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He has published numerous research papers in national and international journals, presented papers at professional conferences, and has received numerous research grants. Dr. Gordon joined USI in 1994 as assistant professor of biology. He served as co-coordinator of the Presidential Scholar Program, a prestigious scholarship program reserved for the top students from throughout Indiana. From 2003 to 2004 he was the director of the Reform of Middle School Science Project to promote inquiry-based teaching and learning for 10 middle schools throughout the Evansville area. Between 2001 and 2005, he served as the associate director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, coordinating campus-wide faculty development workshops, establishing an undergraduate research grant program, and developing the Vectren RISC Showcase so students could exhibit research results. He has taught courses in plant biology, mycology, and environmental science at USI. Among his honors is a 2002 award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology from the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. He has served as chair of the Indiana Academy of Sciences, Science Education Section, and chair of the Indiana Academy of Sciences, Botany Section. A native of Malone, New York, Dr. Gordon received his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Cortland and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Dr. David Glassman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, served as chair of the search committee for the dean position. Others on the committee were Paul Doss, chair of geology and physics; Eric Sprouls, chair of engineering; Kathy Rodgers, chair of mathematics; Jeff Seyler, chair of chemistry; Anthony Maria, assistant professor of geology; Jeanne Barnett, professor of biology; Sangwoo Heo, assistant professor of mathematics, and Henri Maurice, chair of biology. |
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