97-06-26 David Ashley Nominated as Dean of Engineering

DEAN NAMED FOR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

     COLUMBUS -- David B. Ashley, an internationally
distinguished professor of engineering, has been nominated as
dean of The Ohio State University’s College of Engineering and to
hold the John C. Geupel Chair in Civil Engineering.

     Richard Sisson, senior vice president and provost, announced
Wednesday (6-25) that he will recommend Ashley to President E.
Gordon Gee and the university’s Board of Trustees for a five-year
renewable appointment as dean.  Subject to trustee approval,
Ashley's appointment will be effective on Oct. 1, 1997.

     "The University is extraordinarily fortunate that Dr. Ashley
is joining our academic enterprise," Gee said.

     Ashley, 46, has been the Taisei Professor and chair of the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the premier
department in this field, at the University of California at
Berkeley since 1993.

     "Dr. Ashley is a distinguished scholar and teacher, academic
leader, and administrator, and I am deeply pleased that he has
accepted our offer to come to Ohio State,” Sisson said.  “His
outstanding leadership ability will move the college forward to
the front rank nationally."

     He was selected following a national search for a successor
to Dean Jose Cruz, who has elected to return to the faculty.
Sisson praised Cruz, who has been dean since 1992, for his many
contributions to the college and to the university.

     Ashley holds both a bachelor's degree in civil engineering
and master's degree in civil engineering, project management,
both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as a
master's degree in engineering-economic systems and a doctorate
in civil engineering with a specialization in construction
engineering and management, both from Stanford University.

     Before assuming his current position at Berkeley, he served
on the faculty of MIT and as the Phil M. Ferguson Professor of
Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.  He has
held visiting professorships and other invited positions in
Denmark, South Africa, Sweden, Chile, and Singapore.

     Ashley's work has attracted international recognition with
respect to the development and implementation of risk analysis
techniques appropriate for project management and construction
engineering decisions.  He has worked to determine factors
leading to construction success, predictive models of project
performance, and has contributed in important ways to developing
and testing of risk management responses to potential sources of
cost overruns.

     His work has been strongly supported through major grants
from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, and private industry.

     Widely published, Ashley has contributed more than 80
articles to prestigious professional journals.  He also has
served as an external reviewer for academic departments of civil
engineering and as a technical expert on risk and project
management for international advisory panels.

     "I am very enthusiastic about joining the Ohio State
community," Ashley said. "The College of Engineering has many
fine programs and a rich history. I hope to work closely with the
faculty, students, staff, and alumni -- as well as colleagues
from across the campus -- to build on this strong base. There is
a shared vision that the college can be among the very best in
the country -- my efforts as dean will be directed towards
turning this vision into reality.  I am especially appreciative
of the confidence that President Gee and Provost Sisson have
placed in me by offering me this extraordinary professional
opportunity."

                             #

Contact: David Ferguson, Office of Academic Affairs,
         (614) 292-5881.


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Thu, 26 Jun 1997 14:52:06 -0400 (EDT)]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.