Berkeley chemist named vice president for research

C. Bradley Moore, a renowned chemist at the University of California, Berkeley, and senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has been selected as the new vice president for research at Ohio State. The University's Board of Trustees approved the appointment Feb. 4.

"As an esteemed chemist, Bradley Moore will be a key factor in our efforts to position Ohio State among the nation's top 10 teaching and research universities," President Kirwan said. "He is a leading figure in this nation's research and academic communities, and he brings enormous stature to this very important position. He has precisely the skill and experience that we need at this time to help us extend the University's knowledge and expertise into the businesses and communities of the state of Ohio. We are all enormously pleased that Dr. Moore has accepted this position."

Moore, 60, is currently director of the Chemical Sciences Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, one of the country's foremost research centers, as well as professor of chemistry at UC Berkeley. During his 29 years at Berkeley, he has served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and later dean of the College of Chemistry.

By Kevin Fitzsimons

C. Bradley Moore addresses trustees Feb. 4. Behind him is Law Dean Gregory Williams.

In 1986, Moore received the Department of Energy's prestigious E.O. Lawrence Memorial Award. That same year, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors a researcher can attain.

Members of the NAS, along with its sister organizations, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), serve on national research panels to investigate and assess major scientific, technical and medical problems facing the country. Their findings often serve as the basis for scientific and technical legislation and regulation. Ohio State currently has three members of the NAS, seven members of the NAE, and one member of the IOM.

"Brad Moore, who is a world authority in his field of energy transfer and chemical reaction dynamics, will also hold an appointment in the Department of Chemistry," said Edward J. Ray, executive vice president and provost. "Brad is bringing his research laboratory and some of his research assistants with him so that he can continue his scholarly activity. His extraordinary record of scholarship and administrative experience has prepared Brad well for the leadership role he will play in advancing research activity at this great University."

Moore has held visiting scientist appointments at research centers and universities in Shanghai, P.R.C.; Okazaki, Japan; and Paris. He was awarded both a Sloan Foundation Fellowship in 1968 and a Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in 1969. He was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Moore's research centers on fundamental chemical dynamics, including basic questions about how chemical bonds are made and broken. While this work has ramifications for all of chemistry, it is particularly relevant to studies of the chemistry of combustion. His research group is studying the fundamental reactions occurring when energy is either added to or removed from molecular environments. By comparing the different reactions of molecules when heated -- either by a simple flame or by laser beam, both of which bring energy into the molecule -- researchers can learn about the behavior of basic chemical bonds.

Understanding the effects energy has on these bonds might enable researchers to design fuels for better combustion. It may be possible to tailor specific reactions within molecules to gain the maximum efficiency from a gallon of fuel.

In his role as vice president for research, Moore will provide leadership to research activities at the University and to building partnerships with off-campus partners, principally business and government agencies, to share the fruits of faculty research with others in meaningful ways.

Terry Miller, the Ohio Eminent Scholar and professor of chemistry who chaired the search committee which selected Moore, said, "We looked at roughly 100 candidates and, from the search committee's point of view, nobody's combination of qualifications in several areas came even close to Brad's.

"His credentials as a research scientist are truly impeccable. In terms of administrative experience, he has served both as a college dean and a department head at Berkeley, and head of an important division at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory."

Moore's selection ends a search that began last fall. After the sudden death in 1998 of then-Vice President for Research Edward Hayes, William Baeslack, a former associate dean in the College of Engineering, served as interim vice president until he accepted a job as dean of engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Keith E. Alley, professor of oral biology, has served as interim vice president since then. He will continue in that role until Moore assumes his duties on a half-time transitional basis April 1 and a full-time basis on July 1.

Moore's address to trustees touches on President Kirwan's institutional priorities

"I feel that I have been very lucky, always in the right place at the right time. A small farm and a Quaker grade school in Pennsylvania led to high school and college in the Northeast and the perfect marriage. My wife and I then migrated to Berkeley, the best place in the world to be a physical chemist during the past four decades. And now we are in Ohio -- in the right place, with the right people, at the right time to launch research and educational programs that will define the great universities of the coming decades.

"In the 21st century, universities will play an ever more important role in the progress of humankind. Research and education are the keys to leadership in the knowledge economy. Innovative research will continue to open new frontiers of knowledge, advance our understanding of humankind and nature, and yield valuable new technologies. The products of research have profoundly affected human society and there is a clear need for a much deeper understanding of these effects. Over half of our nation's economic growth since World War II has resulted from research. Surely, most of our future growth will be based on research.

"President Kirwan has set the right goals for Ohio State's success. Research has a key role to play in these goals.

"1. Excellence in the creation of new knowledge. There are new opportunities. The powerful research tools that have been developed over the last few decades allow us to attack much more complex problems than ever before. The challenge is to identify the best of these opportunities for Ohio and to become the best place in the world to work on the areas that we choose. The game here is leapfrog, not catch up.

"2. The best possible experience for our students. Even more important than the new knowledge is a citizenry and work force capable of understanding and using it. Our graduate and undergraduate students need experience in the gathering and critical analysis of information -- in a word, research.

"3. Diversity. I have enjoyed the good fortune of working in one of the most stimulating, diverse and tolerant communities in the world. There is no ethnic majority among Berkeley students. Every point of view gets expressed and examined at Berkeley; it can be intense. Diversity is an essential ingredient in all aspects of a university, in examination of a research problem from all angles, in the intellectual development of each member of the community, and in service to society.

"4. Outreach and engagement. Many consider Ohio State to be the No. 1 exemplar of the land-grant university. Our culture of service gives us an edge in fulfilling the land-grant mission for a society that has moved from farms and heavy machinery to cities and bytes of information. The diverse population of Columbus and our state is a great advantage in the search for harmony and full participation within our cities and among peoples of the world.

"The best research, the most capable graduates, a thoroughly diverse community, and the most effective service to society -- I think that these will be the defining characteristics of the world's leading universities, of The Ohio State University."

Ohio State once again calls on Bill Hall and his team to coordinate VIP visit

David Williams has told this story before. The White House calls. The president, or his cabinet, wants to visit. Or, in the most recent case, the vice president of the United States wants to bring his presidential campaign to Ohio State's Columbus campus. Following up on his victory in the New Hampshire primary, Al Gore wants to talk about higher education Feb. 2 in one of the big March 7 primary states as he launches his national campaign.

Williams, vice president for student and urban/community affairs, gets the word. And he knows what to do. After five such high-profile events in recent years, it has become routine.

"The first and only call I make is to Bill Hall. I called him Friday (Jan. 28) and said, 'Bill, get your team together. And keep me posted. Let me know what's going on and let me know if you need anything.' I call Bill Hall and then I go back to sleep," Williams said.

By Jo McCulty

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Hall discusses the complexities of coordinating visits to Ohio State by national leaders who draw large University crowds and require special security needs.

Hall confirms it. Running the big -- mega -- visits to campus has become part of his job description. His official title is assistant vice president for student affairs. He's in charge of Housing, Food Services and Event Centers (HFSEC). Unofficially and by all accounts, when VIPs show up, he becomes the University's very own commander-in-chief with a dedicated army of staffers who ready the campus to serve as host to the nation's leaders.

"Ohio State attracts events like these for a variety of reasons -- our broad student base, our presence in the 'heartland,' our size, our economic and demographic profile which mirrors the nation, and our location in a capital city," said Edward J. Ray, executive vice president and provost. "But I think it's also clear that time and again, Ohio State employees -- under Bill Hall's leadership -- prove they can manage a significant event like this at a high level of quality and on extremely short notice. And this teamwork is motivated by our primary commitment: providing extraordinary and sometimes life-changing opportunities for our students."

The students are what matter to Hall, too. Scouting locations earlier in the week with Gore's advance team, Hall had students in mind as the group considered St. John Arena, the Wexner Center and Mershon Auditorium before deciding on the Ohio Union ballrooms -- a venue providing the best chance for students to feel up close and personal with their candidate.

"I think Bill wanted to highlight the student element," said Michael Silva, Ohio Union's event services manager. And what Hall wants, Silva suggests, Hall is likely to get. "Bill Hall's the mover and the shaker. He's the expediter."

By Jo McCulty

President Kirwan, along with other campus leaders, welcomes Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore to the Ohio Union.

Known and admired for what his military background contributes to his role as Ohio State's lead man under these circumstances, it's clear his soft touch also earns Hall respect among those working for him. As he gives an assistant the bad news that the podium she's hauled into the ballroom isn't what he's looking for, he says he's sorry. As he tells a student volunteer to return flags and banners to their proper location "or else," he smiles. After a brief confrontation with a campaign staffer, he asks, "Was that too harsh?"

Even his appearance suggests relaxation. Sucking on peppermint candies and wearing hiking boots and a Block O baseball cap, he's often the voice of calm in the midst of chaos. Staying low-key is intentional.

"I'm trying to maintain a low profile. As far as I'm concerned, this is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the political process. This event is the students' show. We're just here to support them," he said.

Though there's no firm number immediately available defining the "we" reference, it represents a substantial number of OSU staff.

For example, selecting the Ohio Union location set in motion a variety of tasks for Silva, who oversaw relocating a number of events to accommodate the space and security needs of a vice presidential visit.

"A lot of student groups had to move around this week," said Silva, adding that another high-profile event -- a discussion among Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemings descendants as part of United Black World Month -- was relocated, as well.

"We were lucky," said Diane Whitbeck, director of Housing Services and, along with Sandra Schwartz, administrative manager for HFSEC, a veteran chief assistant to Hall during major visits to campus. "We had to find places for a lot of people -- a press room, a vice presidential holding room and an adjacent room for his staff. We were able to move things to other rooms, and customers have been helpful with that." Undergraduate Student Government offices functioned as the holding area for Gore and his staff.

The aforementioned flags were on loan from the ROTC, and the Ohio Union shifted a lot of draping and staging material to the ballroom location. Borrowed bleachers and banners were strategically installed. The Fawcett Center and Physical Facilities loaned equipment to the effort.

Samantha Cothern, associate director of the Ohio Union for operations and training, secured the goods requested to stage the campaign event. "I had to make a lot of calls to people I knew had the information or the idea or the contact I needed to pull it all together," she said. Calls went out Monday; most deliveries arrived Tuesday, the same day most staging and press risers were installed or built; and by about 6 p.m. Wednesday, after a roughly 30-minute public event, it was time to start taking it all down.

UNITS Manager of Field Services Larry Driggs described his operation's role in extending phone lines for use by at least 25 national media representatives. The national press set up shop in a makeshift press filing center in a storage room adjacent to the ballroom. Crews worked Sunday to prepare the lines and install the phones, and had spares handy for last-minute media needs. University Relations staff signed in local and regional media attending the event, and assisted Gore's press staff in keeping reporters, photographers and videographers informed and in place.

UNITS also cooperated with HFSEC staff to project Gore's remarks onto a large screen in the Conference Theatre and the Ohio Union food court for overflow crowds, and oversaw transmission of the event onto the cable TV system serving the residence halls.

Outside, Transportation and Parking Services Associate Director Beth Kelley monitored the half-dozen or so satellite trucks the media parked on the Ohio Union driveway. "This is a pretty good location for this type of event," Kelley said, explaining that closing the driveway caused relatively little disruption to campus traffic. Even knowing she and her staff had traffic for a home men's basketball to handle later in the evening, Kelley said no one was complaining.

"Our folks like to be involved," she said. "It gives a sense of pride to employees. We view it as an opportunity."

Meanwhile, the overflow crowd was overflowing all over the Ohio Union -- down halls, snaking along sidewalks outside, up stairs and throughout the food court. Moving the troops through kept Ohio State police officers and the student safety service busy with checks of the hundreds of book bags, purses and coats, including some that set metal detectors a-buzz.

"We've got to control the tickets (in the future)," said Police Chief Ron Michalec, noting that University monitoring of the ticket distribution would prevent hard feelings among the hundreds who end up being turned away. For the Gore event, the campaign handled the tickets, distributed free to students and the public. After between 1,500 and 2,000 people piled in to the ballrooms, Michalec estimated 500 ticket holders were unable to attend the main event.

The tickets, the phones, the media, the staging, the decorations, the cleanliness of the restrooms, the celebrity's meet-and-greet with student and administrative leaders and behind-the-scenes staffers, the chance of protesters, the emergency exit needs, the signs -- even signs that say "No signs" -- all of these concerns and dozens more are Hall's ultimate responsibility to either handle or assign to someone who promises to get the job done. And with every decision, he must strike a delicate balance between the campaign's need to showcase its candidate and the University's need to serve students, preserve safety and public access, and do a little showcasing of its own.

And when it's all said and done, Hall's not thinking of the home he hasn't been to in four days or about taking a day off. He's lining up staffers who have earned the chance to shake Gore's hand in front of a camera. And then he's got to secure some basketball tickets for the Secret Service. It's all part of the job. After leading five of these kinds of events at Ohio State, Hall is the designated pro.

"All of these events come off without any issues whatsoever," Williams noted. "And there is never any complaint from Bill about not having enough time, resources or people. Every time, that has been the case."

Roberts joins NEH as deputy chair

John W. Roberts, chair of the Department of African American and African Studies at Ohio State, has been named deputy chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the White House announced Jan. 31. The appointment becomes effective Feb. 22.

"John Roberts has clearly demonstrated his leadership as a scholar, teacher and administrator while working both at the University of Pennsylvania and at Ohio State University," said NEH Chairman William R. Ferris. "He brings a deep commitment to the humanities that will serve the agency well as it shares its important programs with all Americans."

Roberts has been a professor of African American and African studies and of English at Ohio State since 1996, and department chair since 1998. Previously, he was director of the Afro-American studies program and associate professor of folklore and folklife at Penn.

John Roberts

He is widely published in the areas of African-American folklore and literature and also teaches American fiction and folklore, and folklore theory. He is the author of From Trickster to Badman: The Black Folk Hero in Slavery and Freedom and From Hucklebuck to Hip: Social Dance in the African American Community in Philadelphia.

Currently a member of the advisory board of the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife and Cultural Studies Programs, Roberts is a past president of both the American Folklore Society and the Association for African and African American Folklore. He has a B.A. in English from Tusculum College, an M.A. in English from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in English with a specialization in folklore from Ohio State.

As deputy chairman, Roberts will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of NEH, an independent federal agency that supports learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities.

"I'm very excited about the challenges ahead," Roberts said. "I look forward to working with the others at NEH on the initiatives under way and perhaps charting some new directions."

While at the NEH, Roberts will be on a leave of absence from Ohio State.

"We will miss Professor Roberts at Ohio State," said President Kirwan. "But, this is a wonderful opportunity for him to extend his expertise to a larger constituency, and I am pleased that John's outstanding ability has been recognized in this way. The NEH will benefit, as we have, from his wisdom and leadership."

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