C. Daniel Mote Jr.
Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr. has served as President of the University of Maryland, College Park since September 1998. From 1967 to 1991, Mote was a professor in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and served as Vice Chancellor at Berkeley from 1991 to 1998.
Academic career
University of California, Berkeley
Mote was born in San Francisco, California and received his bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees from the University of California, Berkeley in mechanical engineering. He briefly taught at Carnegie-Mellon University before returning to Berkeley as an assistant professor in 1967. Eventually, he rose to become chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he established a reputation as a strong fundraiser. Under his supervision, the department secured funds to establish three endowed chairs and several new research laboratories.[1]
Over the course of his academic career, Mote was primarily involved with research in the fields of dynamic systems and biomechanics. He is internationally known for research on the dynamics of gyroscopic systems and the biomechanics of snow skiing, including work to produce thinner and safer saw blades for the wood industry, and improvements in ski bindings to reduce knee injuries. He has produced over 300 academic publications, and has mentored 56 Ph.D. students.[1][2]
In September 1991, Mote was chosen to serve as a vice chancellor of Berkeley in charge of fundraising.[1] In this position, he implemented a major fundraising campaign in 1993, which eventually raised $1.4 billion for the university.[2] Mote was a candidate to succeed retiring Berkeley chancellor Chang-Lin Tien in 1997, but was unsuccessful.[1]
University of Maryland
In 1998, Brit Kirwan announced he would be resigning as President of the University of Maryland, College Park. Kirwan cited dwindling state funding as his primary reason for departure, which he argued was preventing the University from improving its academic standards. The chancellor of the University System of Maryland began the search for Kirwan's replacement and said the primary focus would be to hire a candidate with strong fundraising capabilities. In June 1998, Mote was chosen to succeed Kirwan as president and assumed the office that September.[1]
At the University of Maryland, Mote has tried to expand the research capability and scope of the university as well as to develop more rigorous academic programs, including a more intensive core curriculum required for students of all majors. His tenure at the University of Maryland has also seen a significant effort at increasing private fundraising.[2]
Mote has also implemented a building campaign to both refurbish aging university buildings and expand facilities. During his second year in office, more than $100 million in new building projects began construction. Several major facilities have been built or are being constructed, including the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Comcast Center, the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, the Biosciences Research Building, and the "M Square" Research Park.[2]
Personal life
Mote has been married for over forty years to Patricia Mote, a supporter of the arts. She is a spokesperson for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and a member of the Prince George's County Arts Commission. They have two children, Melissa and Adam, and four grandchildren, Zoe, Danny, Megan, and Katie.[2]
Awards and Memberships
Mote has received numerous distinctions throughout his career:[2]
- Humboldt Prize from the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Berkeley Citation, an award similar to the honorary doctorate, from the University of California-Berkely.
- Distinguished Engineering Alumnus from the University of California-Berekey.
- Member and council member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.
- Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Honorary Membership in the ASME International.
- Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.
- Fellow of Acoustical Society of America.
- Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science.
- 2005 J. P. Den Hartog Award from the ASME International Technical Committee on Vibration and Sound to honor his lifelong contribution to the teaching and/or practice of vibration engineering.
- 2005 Founders Award from the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his comprehensive body of work on the dynamics of moving flexible structures and for leadership in academia.
References
- ^ a b c d e Howe, Desson (June 3, 1998). "Berkeley Official to Be U-Md. Chief". The Washington Post. pp. A1.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f Biography from the Office of the President, University of Maryland