Campus experience leads to distinctive role for associate dean


LAWRENCE — Robert Goldstein, a distinguished professor and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Kansas, will take on a new role as special adviser for campus development, the Office of the Provost announced today.

“I’m truly excited to have Bob join our team in this important capacity,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Neeli Bendapudi. “KU is in a pivotal position with two new research and teaching facilities coming online. We will be able to highlight some of our incredible strengths and maximize student and faculty opportunities for decades ahead.” 

Goldstein, the Haas distinguished professor of geology and associate dean for natural sciences and mathematics in the College, has been an active contributor and force behind design of the Earth, Energy and Environment Center buildings, Slawson and Ritchie halls, as well as the Integrated Science Building, currently under construction as part of KU’s Central District development project.

In his new role, Goldstein will continue to assist with decisions and activities related to the new structures. He also will advise the provost and senior leadership on facilities and buildings. He will provide valuable input that incorporates more of the university’s strategic efforts to an update of the campus master plan. Goldstein will make himself available to partner with KU Endowment to help tell alumni, donors and supporters about scholarly work and research opportunities at the university.

Goldstein has spent most of his career at KU and joined the Department of Geology in 1985 as an acting assistant professor. By 2000 he was named the Haas Distinguished Professor of Geology. His research has focused on using regional-scale geology and microscopic-scale chemistry that reconstructs geologic history to facilitate exploration for oil and gas. Through the years he has held a number of leadership roles at KU including serving as chair of the Department of Geology from 2004 to 2009 and as co-director of the KU Energy Research Center in 2006. In 2011, he was named an associate dean for the College.

He was selected for the Silver Anniversary teaching award in 1991 and the W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence in 1997. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists gave him the Professorial award in 2014 for outstanding leadership in the field of geoscience education. He has been a visiting scholar at the State University of New York - Stony Brook, and the U.S Geological Survey in Denver, and in 2010 he was a visiting Scientific Fellow for ConocoPhillips Technology.

He will begin his new role July 1.

Thu, 06/29/2017

author

Jill Hummels

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Jill Hummels

Office of the Provost

785-864-6577