May 26th 06, 06:51 PM
Caltech News Release
May 26, 2006
Caltech Names New President:
Georgia Tech Provost Jean-Lou Chameau
PASADENA, Calif. - Jean-Lou Chameau, the provost and vice president for
academic affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has been named
the
new president of the California Institute of Technology. He will take
office on or before September 1.
He succeeds David Baltimore, who is stepping down from the presidency
after
nearly nine years in the post. Baltimore will remain at the Institute,
where he intends to focus on his scientific work and teaching.
Chameau, 53, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Hightower
Professor at Georgia Tech, was formerly dean of the Georgia Tech
College of
Engineering, the largest in the country. He led educational and
research
programs in nine engineering disciplines--all of which have received
national recognition and collectively confer the nation's largest
number of
engineering degrees on undergraduate and graduate students. As
provost, he
had programmatic, strategic, and financial responsibilities for the
academic and research programs of the university, including the Georgia
Tech Research Institute. In addition, his office oversaw the
continuing
and executive education, economic development, and commercialization
programs of Georgia Tech.
Chameau was selected by the Caltech Board of Trustees after a
nationwide
search conducted by the faculty search committee.
"Jean-Lou Chameau impressed us with his intelligence, his vision, his
personality, and his extensive administrative and fund-raising
experience
and success," said David Stevenson, Van Osdol Professor of Planetary
Science and head of the faculty search committee. "We believe that he
is
well suited to the challenges and opportunities of the Caltech
presidency
in a time of change in the global environment of science, technology,
and
education. We expect him to be an engaging and energizing presence in
our
community of faculty, students, and staff, including the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory."
"Dr. Chameau brings a wealth of managerial experience and a strong
commitment to students, faculty, and research," said Kent Kresa,
chairman
of the Caltech Board of Trustees. "He has done a terrific job at
Georgia
Tech, and I'm positive he will lead Caltech with the same energy,
excitement, and wisdom he displayed there."
"As a person who loves science and technology, I cannot imagine a
better
and more exciting opportunity than to serve Caltech at this point of my
career," said Chameau. "Caltech's commitment to and history of
excellence
are unequaled. It is a privilege to be asked to lead this institution.
It
is also very humbling. I look forward to working with such an
exceptional
group of faculty, staff, students, and trustees."
Throughout his career at Georgia Tech, Chameau worked to make the
university a worldwide model for interdisciplinary education and
research,
innovation, and entrepreneurship, and for the promotion of these
activities
as a catalyst for economic development. He is known for his commitment
to
the development of multidisciplinary talent in faculty and students.
He
helped create an environment that promotes innovative learning and
collaboration among individuals who share a passion for similar
problems. In recent years, he fostered the creation of major complexes
for
bio-environmental-materials and nanotechnology. These facilities
reflect
his vision for "research neighborhoods" in which the organizational
barriers to multidisciplinary endeavors were broken down by physically
locating together faculties from several disciplines.
Chameau places a strong emphasis on improving the educational
experience of
students, increasing diversity, and fostering research,
entrepreneurial,
and international opportunities for faculty and students. He was a
champion for programs that contributed to Georgia Tech's leadership
role in
the education of minority students in engineering, and in the
recruitment,
retention and promotion of women on the faculty. He was instrumental
in
positioning Georgia Tech as an internationally recognized university
through the creation of innovative educational and research programs
and
partnerships around the world, including campuses and platforms in Asia
and
Europe.
"Jean-Lou Chameau comes to Caltech with a reputation for deep interest
in
and effective attention to faculty and student issues," said Henry
Lester,
chair of the faculty and Bren Professor of Biology. "His vision and
energy
have led to productive ties with international institutions and with
industry. Speaking as a biologist who participates in Caltech's
programs
in Computation and Neural Systems, in Bioengineering, and in
Biochemistry
and Molecular Biophysics, I'm delighted by Dr. Chameau's long-standing
interdisciplinary interests."
Chameau played a key role in Georgia Tech's initiative to educate
students
to understand their role in creating a more prosperous and sustainable
society. He led the efforts that resulted in the creation of the
Center
for Sustainable Technology, which later became the Institute for
Sustainable Technology and Development, promoting educational and
research
activities that address the global, complex nature of environmental
issues
and emphasize the linkages between science, technology, society, and
the
environment.
As part of his responsibilities at Georgia Tech, Chameau engaged in
numerous development activities, leading efforts to secure major
donations
for the university's endowment. He was also active in state and
federal
relations and professional organizations such as the U.S. Council on
Competitiveness and the Government-University-Industry Research
Roundtable.
Chameau received his secondary and undergraduate education in France
and
his graduate education in civil engineering from Stanford University.
In
1980 he joined the civil engineering faculty at Purdue University,
where he
subsequently became full professor and head of the geotechnical
engineering
program. In 1991, he became the director of the School of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. In 1994-95, he was the
president
of Golder Associates, Inc., an international geotechnical consulting
company. He currently serves on the boards of directors for MTS
Systems
Corporation, Prime Engineering, and l'Ecole Polytechnique, and is a
trustee
and treasurer of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation. He is also
serving
as president of Georgia Tech Lorraine, the European platform of Georgia
Tech.
Chameau's technical interests include sustainable technology;
environmental
geotechnology; soil dynamics; earthquake engineering; and liquefaction
of
soils. He was the recipient of a National Science Foundation
Presidential
Young Investigator Award, the ASCE A. Casagrande Award, and the Rodney
Chipp Memorial Award from the Society of Women Engineers.
He is married to Dr. Carol Carmichael, the director of the Institute
for
Sustainable Technology and Development at Georgia Tech. She is
originally
from Wisconsin and has been at Georgia Tech for almost 20 years.
Chameau is the eighth person to lead "modern-day" Caltech, his
predecessors
being James A. B. Scherer, Robert A. Millikan, Lee A. DuBridge, Harold
Brown, Marvin L. Goldberger, Thomas E. Everhart, and Baltimore.
May 26, 2006
Caltech Names New President:
Georgia Tech Provost Jean-Lou Chameau
PASADENA, Calif. - Jean-Lou Chameau, the provost and vice president for
academic affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has been named
the
new president of the California Institute of Technology. He will take
office on or before September 1.
He succeeds David Baltimore, who is stepping down from the presidency
after
nearly nine years in the post. Baltimore will remain at the Institute,
where he intends to focus on his scientific work and teaching.
Chameau, 53, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Hightower
Professor at Georgia Tech, was formerly dean of the Georgia Tech
College of
Engineering, the largest in the country. He led educational and
research
programs in nine engineering disciplines--all of which have received
national recognition and collectively confer the nation's largest
number of
engineering degrees on undergraduate and graduate students. As
provost, he
had programmatic, strategic, and financial responsibilities for the
academic and research programs of the university, including the Georgia
Tech Research Institute. In addition, his office oversaw the
continuing
and executive education, economic development, and commercialization
programs of Georgia Tech.
Chameau was selected by the Caltech Board of Trustees after a
nationwide
search conducted by the faculty search committee.
"Jean-Lou Chameau impressed us with his intelligence, his vision, his
personality, and his extensive administrative and fund-raising
experience
and success," said David Stevenson, Van Osdol Professor of Planetary
Science and head of the faculty search committee. "We believe that he
is
well suited to the challenges and opportunities of the Caltech
presidency
in a time of change in the global environment of science, technology,
and
education. We expect him to be an engaging and energizing presence in
our
community of faculty, students, and staff, including the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory."
"Dr. Chameau brings a wealth of managerial experience and a strong
commitment to students, faculty, and research," said Kent Kresa,
chairman
of the Caltech Board of Trustees. "He has done a terrific job at
Georgia
Tech, and I'm positive he will lead Caltech with the same energy,
excitement, and wisdom he displayed there."
"As a person who loves science and technology, I cannot imagine a
better
and more exciting opportunity than to serve Caltech at this point of my
career," said Chameau. "Caltech's commitment to and history of
excellence
are unequaled. It is a privilege to be asked to lead this institution.
It
is also very humbling. I look forward to working with such an
exceptional
group of faculty, staff, students, and trustees."
Throughout his career at Georgia Tech, Chameau worked to make the
university a worldwide model for interdisciplinary education and
research,
innovation, and entrepreneurship, and for the promotion of these
activities
as a catalyst for economic development. He is known for his commitment
to
the development of multidisciplinary talent in faculty and students.
He
helped create an environment that promotes innovative learning and
collaboration among individuals who share a passion for similar
problems. In recent years, he fostered the creation of major complexes
for
bio-environmental-materials and nanotechnology. These facilities
reflect
his vision for "research neighborhoods" in which the organizational
barriers to multidisciplinary endeavors were broken down by physically
locating together faculties from several disciplines.
Chameau places a strong emphasis on improving the educational
experience of
students, increasing diversity, and fostering research,
entrepreneurial,
and international opportunities for faculty and students. He was a
champion for programs that contributed to Georgia Tech's leadership
role in
the education of minority students in engineering, and in the
recruitment,
retention and promotion of women on the faculty. He was instrumental
in
positioning Georgia Tech as an internationally recognized university
through the creation of innovative educational and research programs
and
partnerships around the world, including campuses and platforms in Asia
and
Europe.
"Jean-Lou Chameau comes to Caltech with a reputation for deep interest
in
and effective attention to faculty and student issues," said Henry
Lester,
chair of the faculty and Bren Professor of Biology. "His vision and
energy
have led to productive ties with international institutions and with
industry. Speaking as a biologist who participates in Caltech's
programs
in Computation and Neural Systems, in Bioengineering, and in
Biochemistry
and Molecular Biophysics, I'm delighted by Dr. Chameau's long-standing
interdisciplinary interests."
Chameau played a key role in Georgia Tech's initiative to educate
students
to understand their role in creating a more prosperous and sustainable
society. He led the efforts that resulted in the creation of the
Center
for Sustainable Technology, which later became the Institute for
Sustainable Technology and Development, promoting educational and
research
activities that address the global, complex nature of environmental
issues
and emphasize the linkages between science, technology, society, and
the
environment.
As part of his responsibilities at Georgia Tech, Chameau engaged in
numerous development activities, leading efforts to secure major
donations
for the university's endowment. He was also active in state and
federal
relations and professional organizations such as the U.S. Council on
Competitiveness and the Government-University-Industry Research
Roundtable.
Chameau received his secondary and undergraduate education in France
and
his graduate education in civil engineering from Stanford University.
In
1980 he joined the civil engineering faculty at Purdue University,
where he
subsequently became full professor and head of the geotechnical
engineering
program. In 1991, he became the director of the School of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. In 1994-95, he was the
president
of Golder Associates, Inc., an international geotechnical consulting
company. He currently serves on the boards of directors for MTS
Systems
Corporation, Prime Engineering, and l'Ecole Polytechnique, and is a
trustee
and treasurer of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation. He is also
serving
as president of Georgia Tech Lorraine, the European platform of Georgia
Tech.
Chameau's technical interests include sustainable technology;
environmental
geotechnology; soil dynamics; earthquake engineering; and liquefaction
of
soils. He was the recipient of a National Science Foundation
Presidential
Young Investigator Award, the ASCE A. Casagrande Award, and the Rodney
Chipp Memorial Award from the Society of Women Engineers.
He is married to Dr. Carol Carmichael, the director of the Institute
for
Sustainable Technology and Development at Georgia Tech. She is
originally
from Wisconsin and has been at Georgia Tech for almost 20 years.
Chameau is the eighth person to lead "modern-day" Caltech, his
predecessors
being James A. B. Scherer, Robert A. Millikan, Lee A. DuBridge, Harold
Brown, Marvin L. Goldberger, Thomas E. Everhart, and Baltimore.