Research candidate O'Neil to visit campus October 28-30

The first of six candidates for the vice president for research position has visited campus, and one has rescheduled his interview.

Dr. William H. Scouten interviewed for the position Oct. 8-10. Dr. Robert W. Whalin rescheduled his interview for Nov. 23-25. He was originally slated to be in Starkville Oct. 20-22.

The next candidate to visit the university is Dr. Daniel J. O'Neil, who will be here Oct. 28-30.

Short biographies on each of the candidates follow. Comprehensive resumes and photographs, when available, may be found on the web at <http://www.msstate.edu/web/vpr/>.

Schedule for O'Neil visit Tuesday, Oct. 28: 6:30 p.m.-Arrive and tour campus; Dinner with committee members Wednesday, Oct. 29: 7-8 a.m.-Breakfast with search committee 8:15-8:30 a.m.-Dr. Zacharias 8:45-9:30 a.m.-Vice Presidents, 611 Allen 9:30-10:15 a.m.-Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, 611 Allen 10:30-11:30 a.m.-Deans, 611 Allen 11:45-1 p.m.-Lunch 1:30-3 p.m.-Research Directors Council, 611 Allen 3:30-5 p.m.-Faculty, first-floor auditorium, Mitchell Memorial Library 5:30 p.m.-Return to hotel 6:30 p.m.-Dinner with committee members Thursday, Oct. 30: 7-8 a.m.-Breakfast with Clay Taylor and committee members 8:15-9 a.m.-Department Heads, 130 McCool 9:15-10:15 a.m.-Research Operations Council, 611 Allen 10:30-11:15 a.m.-Office of Research Staff, 611 Allen 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.-Lunch 1-2 p.m.-Dr. Zacharias 2-3 p.m.-Search Committee, 611 Allen 3:15 p.m.-Depart

Dr. Donald L. Durham has served as technical/deputy director for the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center since 1989. He will interview Nov. 9-11.

As technical/deputy director, Durham is the senior civilian manager and top scientific adviser responsible for planning, coordination, management, direction and administration of broad multi-disciplinary scientific, engineering and technical programs of the command.

Until 1986, he served as assistant chief of staff for program integration and was head of the Mapping, Charting and Geodesy (MC&G) Division 1981-1986. He joined NOARL in 1978 as an oceanographer.

In 1972-1978, Durham worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a research oceanographer at its Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg.

He received his bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Centre College, Danville, Ky., in 1964; his master's in oceanography (math) from Texas A&M University in 1967; and his doctorate in physical oceanography (geophysics and math) from Texas A&M in 1972.

Dr. Anthony K. Hyder is the associate vice president for graduate studies and research at the University of Notre Dame. His interview is scheduled Nov. 12-14. (No other information is available at this time).

Dr. Daniel J. O'Neil founded CRADA Corp. in Atlanta, a higher education consultancy firm, in 1993. The corporation assists and networks with small and medium-sized high tech firms, with minority and women-owned businesses, with industrial development groups and with federal agencies and Capitol Hill, as well as with universities and colleges.

Most recently, O'Neil was the University of Oklahoma's first vice president for research. He also was director of Oklahoma's $50 million state-of-the-art Sarkeys Energy Center and dean of the Graduate College. At that time he also was tenured professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

His association with the Georgia Institute of Technology began in 1975. O'Neil managed four of the Georgia Tech Research Institute divisions, which accounted for approximately $25 million in grants and contracts in the fields of energy, biotechnology, environmental science and engineering, agricultural and food technology, atmospheric sciences, aerospace, materials and manufacturing science, electro-optics, microelectronics, and computer and information technology.

He was a founding faculty member of the University of Limerick (then the National Institute for Higher Education), the first university established in the history of the Republic of Ireland. O'Neil was responsible for building, planning, designing and equipping the technological university complex along with architects and vendors.

O'Neil earned bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in chemistry from Northeastern University, Southern Connecticut State University, and the University of Dublin (Trinity College), respectively.

Dr. Melvin C. Ray has served as Mississippi State's acting vice president for research since 1996. His responsibilities include developing, facilitating and promoting research programs and policies; strengthening relationships with federal agencies, business and industry, and foundations; expanding the university's technology transfer program; developing the university's Research and Technology corporation; and increasing the university's visibility and competitiveness at all levels.

Ray was associate vice president for research at MSU 1994-1996, where he served as director of university-level centers and institutes.

Prior to his work in the Office of Research, Ray spent two years as an associate professor and another five as an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work at Mississippi State.

Ray was a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Sociology of Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, 1986-1987.

He currently serves as chair of the state EPSCoR Committee.

Ray earned his bachelor's degree in 1981 from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and his master's and doctoral degrees from Iowa State University.

His interview is Nov. 5-7.

Dr. William H. Scouten is currently the director of the Utah State University Biotechnology Center in Logan. He came to USU in 1993 from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he was the chairman of the chemistry department. He held this position 1984-1993. Prior to his appointment at Baylor, Scouten taught in the department of chemistry at Bucknell University, Lewisberg, Pa., 1971-1977, and was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.

After earning his doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh in 1969, he was a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the department of biochemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1969-1971. In addition, Scouten is an adjunct professor of chemical engineering and a member of the Center for Biopolymers at Interfaces at the University of Utah.

In 1964, Scouten received his bachelor's degree from Houghton (N.Y.) College.

Dr. Robert W. Whalin became the first permanent civilian director of the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) in Vicksburg in 1992 after serving as WES technical director 1985-1992. He will visit campus Nov. 23-25.

Whalin entered the Senior Executive Service in 1982 upon selection as technical director of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC) at Fort Belvoir, Va., and held that position (CERC relocated from Fort Belvoir to WES in 1983) until 1985.

He began his professional career with six years of private industry experience in Southern California, followed by 15 years of experience at WES in the position of chief, Wave Mechanics Branch and chief, Wave Dynamics Division.

Whalin received his bachelor's degree in physics (mathematics) from the University of Kentucky, his master's degree in physics (mathematics) from the University of Illinois, and his doctorate in physical oceanography (civil engineering, mathematics) from Texas A&M University.

He has served as an adjunct professor at Mississippi State, Texas A&M University and the University of Mississippi. He is a member of the External Research Advisory Committee at Mississippi State.