OLD DOMINION NAMES NEW DEAN OF SCIENCES

Old Dominion University Provost Jo Ann Gora announced today that Thomas L. Isenhour will become Old Dominion's next dean of the College of Sciences, effective July 14.

His selection concludes a national search to fill the position vacated May 1 by Terry L. Hickey. Elaine M. Justice, chair of the psychology department, has served as interim dean since Hickey's departure.

Isenhour has served as professor and chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department at Duquesne University, in Pittsburgh, since 1994. Previously, he was dean of arts and sciences (1987-90) and professor of chemistry (1987-94) at Kansas State University. He also has held academic and administrative positions at Utah State University, the University of North Carolina and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

During his career, Isenhour has taught general and honors chemistry, history of science, undergraduate and graduate analytical chemistry, and environmental science, and has directed 28 doctoral and eight master's degrees. He has published 180 professional papers, books and editorials and served as plenary lecturer at three international meetings.

Isenhour has administered grants from NSF, the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA in the range of $20,000 to $200,000 a year. Over the past five years he has received instrumentation grants averaging $250,000 per year. His current research areas are remote sensing of volatile organic compounds by passive Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear materials inventory control by robust statistics and time series analysis. He also has a book in progress, titled "Ancient Greek vs. Modern Science."

Isenhour received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a doctorate in chemistry from Cornell University. He participated in the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University in 1989.