|
Eberly College of Science History in Brief *
* SA Penn State Sourcebook and Bezilla's Penn State: an illustrated history (page numbers indicate excerpts from the latter). Additional information drawn from Science files.
| 1859 | Jacob S. Whitman, professor of natural science, was one of four faculty at the opening of the Farmer's High School. The President was Evan Pugh, who held a Ph.D. from Göttingen in chemistry. |
| 1888 | Department of Physics separates from original Department of Chemistry & Physics |
| 1889 | George ("Swampy") Pond arrives as Head of the
Department of Chemistry. "Even chemistry, a mainstay of the curriculum since the days of The Farmers' High School, attracted relatively few students in comparison to those choosing engineering. Part of the Department of Chemistry's troubles initially stemmed from the less than satisfactory performance of both students and teaching staff." Pond reorganized the curriculum and declared that "no inferior work can be accepted here." p 36 |
| 1895 | School of Mathematics and Physics created, I. Thornton Osmond, Dean |
| 1896 | School of Natural Science forms, including Departments of Botany, Chemistry, Geology and Zoology - George Pond, Dean |
| 1902 | Program in Industrial Chemistry added to School
of Natural Sciences. "The Department of Chemistry consistently enrolled more undergraduates and was better equipped than any other department outside the School of Engineering. Its assay and quantitative laboratories and balance room had to be outfitted mainly with hardware imported from Germany, in the absence of satisfactory domestic sources of scientific instruments." p 51 |
| 1906 | Geology transfers to the new School of Mines.
Botany transfers to the School of Agriculture. |
| 1907 | Physics added when the separate School of Mathematics
and Physics dissolves. Mathematics went to Liberal Arts. |
| 1913 | Pre-Medicine Program added |
| 1922 | Graduate School created, Frank D. Kern, Professor
and Head of Botany, as Dean. "The School of Natural Science customarily awarded the Master of Science, ostensibly a degree conferred for academic scholarship; but again, many students, especially those in chemistry, received it after completing several years of nonresident professional work and a brief thesis. Standards for original thesis work were not high in any of the schools, and seminars were few." p. 112 "Doctoral studies were inaugurated in 1924, with the first Ph.D. being awarded to Marsh W. White in the field of physics in 1926. (White was a member of the physics faculty at that time and continued in this capacity until he retired in 1960.)" p. 113 |
| 1924 | Zoology transfers to Agriculture. School of Natural Science is replaced by School of Chemistry and Physics, with Gerald R.Wendt, "nationally renowned research chemist" as Dean. "This change paved the way for the appointment of Dean Wendt but did not address a more serious problem. Scientific knowledge was expanding at a rapid rate as the twentieth century gained momentum, yet a lack of money had prevented the old School of Natural Science from keeping pace. It encountered difficulty in hiring faculty well versed in the latest scientific methods and theories, and was unable to acquire modern equipment for use in student laboratories or to enlarge many of those labs to accommodate more students." p. 113 "Dean Gerald Wendt...first issued a series of guidelines designed to improve the quality of instruction. No new faculty were to be hired who did not possess the Ph.D. Present members of the teaching staff were strongly urged to work toward doctoral degrees, preferably at institutions having reputations for excellence in advanced scientific studies...The school would continue to utilize graduate assistants, but only those holding master's or equivalent degrees were to be given undergraduate teaching assignments." p. 160 |
| 1926 | Division of Industrial Research created within the School. |
| 1929 | Petroleum Refining Laboratory (PRL) created. Frank C. Whitmore becomes Dean, School of Chemistry and Physics. |
| 1932 | Wheeler P. Davey named the School's first "Research Professor". |
| 1941 | Ellen H. Richards Institute, for research in
home economics, created, jointly operated by the Schools of
Agriculture and Chemistry & Physics. During World War II, the PRL conducted research on high-altitude aircraft lubricant, and researchers in Chemistry & Physics did research and development on drugs (in particular, finding ways to increase the yield and purity of penicillin). |
| 1948 | George L. Haller becomes Dean. |
| 1953 | School of Chemistry and Physics becomes College of Chemistry and Physics. |
| 1955 | Erwin Mueller becomes the first person to see
an atom. Chemistry & Physics is in fourth place, behind Agriculture, Engineering, and Mineral Industries, in research expenditures. p. 243 |
| 1956 | Ferdinand G. Brickwedde becomes Dean. |
| 1962 | Core Colleges system, intended to guide the general basic education of Undergraduate students, formed, consisting of Chemistry & Physics, Liberal Arts, and Arts & Architecture. |
| 1963 | Departments of Biochemistry, Biophysics, Botany, Mathematics, Microbiology, and Zoology join Chemistry and Physics to form the College of Science Chemical Engineering moves to the College of Engineering. |
| 1965 | Department of Astronomy created Department of Computer Science created Clarence I. Noll becomes Dean. |
| 1967 | Departments of Botany and Zoology merge to form the Department of Biology. |
| 1968 | Department of Statistics created. |
| 1971 | Thomas Wartik becomes Dean. |
| 1972 | Statistical Consulting Center established. |
| 1975 | Four existing biological sciences departments
reorganize to three: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Department of Biology |
| 1979 | Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and Microbiology & Cell Biology merge to form Department of Microbiology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry & Biophysics |
| 1982 | Department of Microbiology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry & Biophysics changes name to Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology. |
| 1983 | Laboratory for Elementary Particle Science established. |
| 1984 | Biotechnology Institute established as part of Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology Center for Statistical Ecology and Environmental Statistics established. |
| 1985 | Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular
and Cell Biology changes name to Department of Molecular and
Cell Biology. Braddock Bequest establishes undergraduate and graduate awards in the physical and biological sciences . |
| 1986 | Eberly Family gift establishes eight chairs and one professorship in the college. |
| 1987 | Center for the Commercial Development of Space
(later Center for Cell Research) established. Center for Particle Science and Technology (joint with Science, Engineering, Earth & Mineral Science and Agriculture) established. Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (joint with Hershey Medical Center) established. Leonard N. Zimmerman becomes Dean. |
| 1988 | NASA Space Grant Program established. Center for Multivariate Analysis established at Penn State. |
| 1989 | Gregory L. Geoffroy becomes Dean. |
| 1990 | College renamed Eberly College of Science Institute of Molecular Evolutionary Biology established. |
| 1991 | Biotechnology Institute transferred to Intercollege Research Program Center for Biomolecular Structure and Function established. |
| 1992 | Department of Astronomy becomes Department of
Astronomy and Astrophysics. Center for Cell Research transferred to Intercollege Research Program. Center for Gene Regulation established. Center for Likelihood Studies established. |
| 1993 | Department of Computer Science merges with Computer
Engineering Program to create the Department of Computer Science
and Engineering, jointly administered by the Eberly College
of Science and the College of Engineering. Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry established. |
| 1994 | Department of Molecular and Cell Biology becomes
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Statistical Consulting Center for Astronomy established. Material Physics Center established. |
| 1996 | Hobby-Eberly Telescope, the largest and most
powerful optical telescope in the continental United States,
is completed in Texas. The HET is a joint effort involving Penn
State, the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University,
and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, and Goerg-August-Universitaet
Goettingen in Germany. Life Sciences Consortium (based in the Intercollege Research Program, with significant links to the Eberly College of Science) established. |
| 1997 | Howard Grotch becomes Interim Dean. |
| 1998 | Daniel J. Larson becomes Dean. |
| Five of Penn State's 15 Presidents were trained
in fields found in this college: Evan Pugh held a Ph.D. in chemistry William H. Allen was a professor of chemistry and natural history John Fraser was professor of mathematics/astronomy and lecturer in military tactics John W. Oswald had a B.S. in botany Joab Thomas was professor of biology |
DISTINGUISHED HONORS & AWARDS
| Members of the National Academy
of Sciences |
||
| 2008 | Barry Marshall | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
| 2005 | Daniel Cosgrove | Biology |
| 2003 | George Andrews | Mathematics |
| 2003 | Alan Walker | Anthropology & Biology |
| 2000 | Moses Chan | Physics |
| 1998 | Albert (Will) Castleman | Chemistry |
| 1998 | Roger Penrose | Physics (Foreign Assoc) |
| 1997 | Masatoshi Nei | Biology |
| 1995 | C. R. Rao | Statistics (Emeritus) |
| 1995 | Gerald D. Mahan | Physics |
| 1990 | Nina Fedoroff | Biology/Biotechnology |
| 1985 | Stephen Benkovic | Chemistry |
| 1982 | Robert K. Selander | Biology (Emeritus) |
| 1977 | Philip J. Skell | Chemistry (Emeritus) |
| Members of the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences |
|
| George Andrews | Mathematics |
| Stephen Benkovic | Chemistry |
| Albert (Will) Castleman | Chemistry |
| Moses Chan | Physics |
| Nina Fedoroff | Biology/Biotechnology |
| Bryan Grenfell | Biology |
| Jainendra Jain | Physics |
| Anatole Katok | Mathematics |
| Gerald Mahan | Physics |
| Masatoshi Nei | Biology |
| Calyampudi. R. Rao | Statistics |
| Alan Walker | Anthropology/Biology |
| Fellows of the Royal Society (UK) |
|
| Bryan Grenfell | Biology |
| Roger Penrose | Physics |
| C. R. Rao (Emeritus) | Statistics |
| Robert Vaughan | Mathematics |
| Alan Walker | Anthropology/Biology |
| Other Distinguished Honors and Awards |
||
| Stephen Benkovic | Chemistry | National Institute of Medicine; American Philosophical Society |
| Jean-Luc Brylinski | Mathematics | Prix Servant of the French Academy of Sciences |
| Nina Fedoroff | Biology/Biotech | National Science Board; National Medal of Science; Science and Technology Adviser to the U. S. Secretary of State |
| Nigel Higson | Mathematics | Fellow of the Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada; Canadian Academy of Science |
| C. R. Rao (Emeritus) | Statistics | Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy; Indian Academy of Sciences; Third World Academy of Sciences; National Medal of Science |
| Robert Selander (Emeritus) | Biology | Corresponding Member of the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias |
| Alexander Wolszczan | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences |
ENDOWED CHAIRS, PROFESSORSHIPS,
AND FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS
| Eberly Family Chairs (created 1986)
|
||
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | Peter I. Mészáros | July 2005 - present |
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Vacant | |
| Biology | Daniel J. Cosgrove | Oct 2001 - present |
| Chemistry | Stephen J. Benkovic | Nov 1986 - present |
| Mathematics | Alberto Bressan | September 2007 - present |
| Physics | Abhay Ashtekar | Aug 1993 - present |
| Statistics | Vacant | |
| Distinguished Chair of Science | A. Welford Castleman | Jan 1999 - present |
| Other Professorships & Chairs
|
|
| Paul Berg Professor of Biochemistry | Craig E. Cameron |
| Alumni Chair in the Biological Sciences | Bryan Grenfell |
| T. Ming Chu Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Ross Hardison |
| Downsbrough Department Head's Chair in Physics | Jayanth Banavar |
| Downsbrough Faculty Development Professorship in Physics | Kenneth O'Hara |
| DuPont Professor in Materials Chemistry | Thomas Mallouk |
| Eberly Family Chair in Astronomy and Astrophysics | Peter I. Mészáros |
| Eberly Family Professorship in Biotechnology | Sharon Hammes-Schiffer |
| Ernest C. Pollard Professorship in Biotechnology | Donald Bryant |
| Erwin W. Mueller Professor of Physics | Jainendra K. Jain |
| Francis R. Pentz & Helen M. Pentz Visiting Professorship | Jan Klein Barry Marshall Roger Penrose Donald Pfaff |
| J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Natural Sciences | Andrew Ewing |
| James and Alvina Balog Faculty Fellow | Donald Genson |
| Louis Martarano Career Development Professorship | Vacant |
| Paul H. Cutler Faculty Excellence Endowment in Condensed Matter Physics |
Paul H. Cutler |
| Raymond N. Shibley Professorship in Mathematics | Anatole Katok |
| Russell & Mildred Marker Professor in Natural Products Chemistry | Steven Weinreb |
| Shaffer Faculty Development Professorship | Beth Shapiro |
| Shapiro Professorship in Chemistry | Barbara Garrison |
| Stanley Person Professor of Molecular Biology | J. Gregory Ferry |
| Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences | Nina Fedoroff |
| Verne M. Willaman Chair in Molecular Biology | B. Franklin Pugh |
| Verne M. Willaman Dean | Daniel Larson |
| Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biology | Peter Hudson |
| Verne M. Willaman Professor of Mathematics | Qiang Du |
| Verne M. Willaman Professor of Statistics | Bruce Lindsay |
| Waller Professor of Plant Biology | Sally Assmann |
| Evan Pugh
Professors |
||
| Harry Allcock | Chemistry | 1985 |
| James B. Anderson | Chemistry | 1996 |
| George E. Andrews | Mathematics | 1981 |
| Paul Baum | Mathematics | 1996 |
| Stephen J. Benkovic | Chemistry | 1977 |
| A. Welford Castleman, Jr. | Chemistry | 1986 |
| Moses H. W. Chan | Physics | 1994 |
| Nina Fedoroff | Life Sciences | 2002 |
| Gordon P. Garmire | Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1985 |
| Nigel Higson | Mathematics | 2006 |
| Masatoshi Nei | Biology | 1994 |
| Alan Walker | Anthropology & Biology | 2002 |
| Nicholas Winograd | Chemistry | 1985 |
| Alex Wolszczan | Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1998 |
| Distinguished Professors
|
||
| Jayanth Banavar | Physics | 2003 |
| W. Dale Brownawell | Mathematics | 1990 |
| Milton W. Cole | Physics | 2000 |
| John C. Collins | Physics | 2005 |
| Peter C. Eklund | Physics; Materials Science and Engineering | 2008 |
| Ronald R. Keiper (Emeritus) | Biology (Mont Alto) | 1990 |
| Daniel B. Litvin | Physics (Berks) | 2003 |
| Hong Ma | Biology | 2008 |
| Gerald D. Mahan | Physics | 2001 |
| Julian D. Maynard | Physics | 1991 |
G. P. Patil |
Statistics | 1991 |
| Yakov Pesin | Mathematics | 2003 |
| Donald P. Schneider | Astronomy and Astrophysics | 2008 |
| William A. Steele (Emeritus) | Chemistry | 1990 |
| Tien-Tzou Tsong (Emeritus) | Physics | 1990 |
| Paul S. Weiss | Chemistry and Physics | 2005 |
| Jinchao Xu | Mathematics | 2007 |
FACULTY SCHOLAR MEDAL RECIPIENTS
| 2008 | Nitin Samarth | Physical Sciences |
| 2007 | Ottar Bjørnstad | Entomology, with joint affiliation in Biology and Statistics |
| David S. Weiss | Physics | |
| 2006 | B. Franklin Pugh | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology |
| Peter Schiffer | Physics | |
| 2005 | Hong Ma | Biology |
| 2004 | Renee D. Diehl | Physics |
| Charles R. Fisher | Biology | |
| Dennis K. J. Lin | Business, with joint affiliation in Statistics | |
| 2003 | Ayusman Sen | Chemistry |
| Andrew Stephenson | Biology | |
| 2002 | John Collins | Physics |
| 2001 | Sally M. Assmann | Biology |
| Xumu Zhang | Chemistry | |
| 2000 | Vincent Crespi | Physics |
| Ross Hardison | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | |
| Webb Miller | Computer Science & Engineering | |
| 1999 | Gregory Swiatek | Mathematics |
| Alan Walker | Anthropology & Biology | |
| 1998 | Wolfgang Ernst | Physics/Chemistry |
| Jerry Workman | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | |
| 1997 | Jayanth R. Banavar | Physics |
| 1996 | Dmitri Burago | Mathematics |
| Daniel Cosgrove | Biology | |
| 1995 | Teh-Hui Kao | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology |
| Alexander Wolszczan | Astronomy & Astrophysics | |
| 1994 | Andrew G. Ewing | Chemistry |
| 1993 | Milton W. Cole | Physics |
| 1992 | James B. Anderson | Chemistry |
| 1990 | Barbara Garrison | Chemistry |
| Wesley C. Hymer | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | |
| 1989 | W. Dale Brownawell | Mathematics |
| 1987 | Tien-Tzou Tsong | Physics |
| 1986 | Stephen G. Simpson | Mathematics |
| 1985 | Nicholas Winograd | Chemistry |
TEACHING AWARDS
George
Andrews |
Mathematics |
M.A.A.
Regional Distinguished Teaching Award |
1993 |
Adam Anthony |
Biology |
C.I. Noll Award |
1990 |
Douglas Arnold |
Mathematics |
Atherton Award |
1996 |
John Ashley |
Biology |
Ogontz Outstanding
Teaching Award |
1993 |
Ayoub Ayoub |
Mathematics |
Atherton Award (Ogontz)
|
1989 |
Bruce Babcock |
Mathematics |
Amoco Award (York)
|
1978 |
| Andrew Belmonte | Mathematics | Atherton Award | 2004 |
| Leonid Berlyand | Mathematics | C.I. Noll Award | 2005 |
Edward Bittner |
Chemistry |
Lindback Award (McKeesport)
|
1990 |
Robert Black |
Biology |
Atherton Award (Delaware)
|
1992 |
Dianna Bourke |
Biology |
Teaching Excellence
Award (Hazleton) |
1996 |
Douglas Brown |
Mathematics |
Atherton Award for
Excellence in Teaching |
1998 |
James Burness |
Chemistry |
Atherton Award (York)
|
1990 |
Jane Charlton |
Astronomy |
Faculty Associates
Award |
1996/97 |
Jane Cooper |
Biology |
Noll Award (Delaware)
|
1994 |
Richard Cyr |
Biology |
Atherton Award |
1996 |
Teaching & Learning
Hall of Fame Faculty Award |
2001-02 |
||
Reginald Deering |
BMB |
Graduate
Faculty Teaching Award |
1994 |
Andrew Ewing |
Chemistry |
Graduate Faculty Teaching
Award |
1997 |
James Fehlner |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award (W.
Scranton) |
1989 |
J. Greg
Ferry |
BMB |
Graduate Microbiology
Teaching Award (ASM) |
2001 |
Chuck Fisher |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
2001 |
Richard
Frisque |
BMB |
Graduate
Faculty Teaching Award |
1992 |
C.I. Noll Award |
1997 |
||
Carol
Gay |
BMB |
Listed in Who's Who
Among America's Teachers |
2000 |
P. Georgopulos |
Physics |
Amoco Award (Delaware)
|
1978 |
Charles Haas |
Chemistry |
C.I. Noll Award |
1980 |
Amoco Award |
1981 |
||
Ernest Harrison |
Chemistry |
Lindback Award (York)
|
1988 |
Lauraine Hawkins |
Biology |
Student Gov't Assoc
Award for Excel in Teaching |
|
T. Hettmansperger |
Statistics |
C.
I. Noll Award |
1986 |
Nigel
Higson |
Mathematics |
George W. Atherton
Award for Teaching |
2001 |
Charles Hillson |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
1987 |
Theodore Hollis |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
1976 |
Robert Hostetler |
Mathematics |
Amoco
Award (Behrend) |
1983 |
Peter Jurs |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1995 |
Anatole Katok |
Mathematics |
Graduate Faculty Teaching
Award |
2001 |
Ronald Keiper |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award (Mont
Alto) |
1988 |
Lindback Award |
1978 |
||
Amoco Award |
1979 |
||
Leonard S. Kogut |
Chemistry |
Beaver
Advisory Board Award |
1993 |
John Lennox |
MCB |
Amoco Award (Altoona)
|
1984/86 |
Daniel Litvin |
Physics |
Amoco Award (Berks)
|
1985 |
John Long
|
Biology |
Martha A. Fisher Award
for Teaching Excellence |
|
John Lowe |
Chemistry |
Amoco Award |
1985 |
C. I. Noll Award |
1991 |
||
Alumni Fellow Teaching
Award |
1993 |
||
Robert Marande |
Physics |
Lindback
Award (Behrend) |
1991 |
Andrea Mastro |
BMB |
Tershak Outstanding
Teaching Award |
2000 |
Mary McCammon |
Mathematics |
Lindback
Award |
1982 |
C. I. Noll Award |
1998 |
||
Neil Mercando |
Biology |
Amoco Award (Ogontz)
|
1981 |
Robert Minard |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1996 |
Robert Mitchell |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
1979 |
Amoco Award |
1980 |
||
| Undergraduate Program Leadership Award | 2004 | ||
Phil Mohr |
BMB |
Tershak Outstanding
Teaching Award |
2002 |
James Monroe |
Physics |
Lindback Award (Beaver)
|
1982 |
William Neff |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
1982 |
Richard Obermyer |
Physics |
C.
I. Noll Award (McKeesport) |
1993 |
Roy Olofson |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1981 |
Judy Ozment |
Chemistry |
Ogontz Outstanding
Teaching Award |
1992 |
Eisenhower Award |
1993 |
||
T. Pannaparayil |
Physics |
Atherton Award (Shenango)
|
1989 |
Herman Richey |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1974 |
Richard Robinett |
Physics |
Atherton
Award |
1999 |
| Nitin Samarth | Physics | Atherton Award | 2007 |
| Donald Schneider | Astronomy | C.I. Noll Award | 2006 |
| Patricia Schulte | Mathematics | C.I. Noll Award | 2004 |
Stan Shepherd |
Physics |
C. I. Noll Award |
1972 |
Amoco Award |
1978 |
||
Sharon Shriver |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
2005 |
John Simpson
|
Chemistry |
George W. Atherton
Award for Teaching (Beaver) |
2001 |
Philip Skell |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1977 |
Paul Sokol
|
Physics |
Eisenhower Award for
Distinguished Teaching |
2001 |
A. Stephenson |
Biology |
Atherton Award |
1992 |
Athleen Stere |
Biology |
Lindback Award (Altoona)
|
1980 |
Simon Tavener |
Mathematics |
C. I. Noll Award |
2000 |
C. Dale Therrien |
Biology |
C. I.
Noll Award |
1985 |
J. Villafranca |
Chemistry |
C. I. Noll Award |
1978 |
Eugene Wayne |
Mathematics |
C. I. Noll Award |
1992 |
| Daniel
Weedman |
Astronomy |
C. I.
Noll Award |
1984 |
| Michael Weiner | Mathematics | Atherton Award (Altoona) | 2004 |
E. Wickersham |
Biology |
C. I. Noll Award |
1973 |
Amoco Award |
1979 |
||
| Thomas
Wiggins |
Physics |
C. I.
Noll Award |
1983 |
This
page is maintained by Barbara K. Kennedy: science@psu.edu,
(814) 863-4682;
Kristen Devlin: krd111@psu.edu, (814)
863-8453; and Leta A. Krumrine: LAK15@psu.edu,
(814) 865-1390
Eberly College of Science, Office of Public Information, 520 Thomas Building, University Park, PA 16802-2112
Eberly College of Science, Office of Public Information, 520 Thomas Building, University Park, PA 16802-2112
This page was last updated on 18 February 2008
If you would like to communicate with the keepers of the Eberly College of Science Web server, send electronic mail to: science-web@science.psu.edu
Technology Webmaster: Brian Broking < brb10@psu.edu >
Content Webmaster: Barbara Kennedy < science@psu.edu >