Distinguished University Professors Named

OHIO STATE NAMES DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS

     COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University has reinstated a 
program to honor its most outstanding faculty members -- the 
Distinguished University Professorship.

     The 1996 faculty honorees are Lawrence A. Brown of COLUMBUS 
(43214), Distinguished University Professor of geography; Liang-
Shih Fan of UPPER ARLINGTON, Distinguished University Professor 
of chemical engineering; and Karl Rubin of COLUMBUS (43214), 
Distinguished University Professor of mathematics.

     Ohio State had begun the program about a decade ago to 
acknowledge outstanding senior faculty.  "Budget cuts prevented 
bestowing the honor for several years, but the university decided 
to reinstate the program to reward faculty with truly exceptional 
records," said Richard Sisson, senior vice president and 
provost.

     "We are proud of our Distinguished University Professors," 
President E. Gordon Gee said.  "They are outstanding and 
tireless academics who inspire not only their students, but also 
their colleagues."

     The Office of Academic Affairs will award the permanent 
title on a competitive basis to up to three faculty members each 
year.  The recipients, who each receive $30,000 over three years 
to support their academic work, will be honored at a reception 
from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Faculty Club Grand Lounge, 181 S. 
Oval Dr.

     Distinguished University Professors continue their regular 
program of teaching; research, scholarly or creative work; and 
service.

     They are nominated by their colleagues both at Ohio State 
and internationally.  Evaluators from outside the university are 
invited to assess the quality and significance of each nominee's 
academic accomplishments.

     The 1996 honorees' careers reflect their seniority and 
status as faculty leaders:

     -- Brown is chair of the Department of Geography. He 
specializes in the study of "innovation diffusion," or the 
adoption and spread of new products and techniques across the 
Earth's surface; and in population movement, most recently the 
development of urban areas in South America.

     His record of scholarship includes four books and 90 
articles in leading geography and social science journals.  He 
won Ohio State's highest research honor, the Distinguished 
Scholar Award, in 1984.  Brown received his Ph.D. from 
Northwestern University in 1966 and joined the Ohio State faculty 
as an associate professor in 1968.  He was promoted to full 
professor in 1971.

     Brown's commitment to students shows in his advising 25 
Ph.D. and 10 postdoctoral students.  His strong interest in 
undergraduate education led to the University's highest teaching 
honor, the Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award, in 1993.

     His service activities include the presidency this year of 
the 7,500-member Association of American Geographers.

     -- Fan is chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.  
He is a world leader in fluidization and fluid particle systems, 
and in powder technology.

     He has investigated the flow of bubbles in fluids under high 
pressure and in high temperatures.  His work has led to design 
principles used by oil and chemical companies.  Research in dry 
powders are important to controlling emissions of toxic metals 
from burning coal.

     Fan has written three books, 180 journal articles and nine 
book chapters.  He has been honored 25 times by professional 
societies and universities worldwide for his research.  He also 
is a Distinguished University Scholar.  He has received more than 
$5 million in research grants and support, and has directed 
research by 30 doctoral, 27 masters and 36 postdoctoral students.

     Students and faculty of the College of Engineering have 
twice honored his teaching. Even as the department's top 
administrator, he teaches two courses.  Fan was awarded Ohio 
State's first International Outstanding Faculty Award in 1992.

     Fan received his masters degree and doctorate in chemical 
engineering, both from West Virginia University. He also received 
a master's degree in statistics from Kansas State University.

     -- Rubin works in the field of number theory, one of the 
oldest branches of math and one concerned with solving equations 
in integers.  A pioneer on the frontier of mathematics, he 
studies how to apply Euler systems to problems in number theory.  
Euler systems are a mathematical tool.

     A nominator said, "I do regard Karl Rubin as belonging to 
the group  of the few leading mathematicians of our time who will 
shape the future of our science."  In 1992, Rubin received the 
Cole Prize in Number Theory, the most distinguished mathematical 
prize worldwide.  The American Mathematical Society gives the 
award only once every five years.

     Rubin received his bachelor's degree from Princeton 
University in 1976, and his master's and doctoral degrees from 
Harvard in 1977 and 1981, respectively.  He joined the Ohio State 
faculty in 1984 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to 
professor in 1987.  He served as a visiting professor at 
Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study for two quarters in 
1995-96, the latest of several visiting positions at universities 
in the United States and Europe.

                             #

Contact:  Richard Sisson, Academic Affairs, (614) 292-5881
          Lawrence Brown, Geography, (614) 292-2320
          Liang-Shih Fan, Chemical Engineering, (614) 292-7907
          Karl Rubin, Mathematics, (614) 292-8678


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Wed, 11 Sep 1996 11:44:35 -0400]
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