New College of Natural Sciences Dean Named
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2001
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
New College of Natural Sciences Dean Named
Professor James Houpis, Director of the Environmental Sciences Program at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, has been named the new dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico.
Houpis will start his assignment August 1. He replaces Roger Lederer, who has served as dean since 1991.
Houpis has headed SIUE’s Environmental Sciences Program for three years and has been a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences since 1996. From 1986 to 1996, he was an environmental scientist and project leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Health and Ecological Assessment Division.
During that time, he served as an adjunct professor at CSU, Chico for three years while collaborating with Professors James Pushnik and Richard Demaree on several research projects.
Houpis earned his Ph.D. in forest science from UC Berkeley in 1989. He did his undergraduate work at Berkeley as well. His M.A. in biology is from San Diego State University.
Many of Houpis’ numerous papers, articles, and grants concern stress on plant species from air pollution, climate change, and other environmental factors. He was the editor of “The Biotechnology Education Project: An Integrated and Thematic Curriculum,” and is the associate editor for the “Journal of Environmental Quality.”
“I am delighted that Jim will join us. He’s a fine scholar and a gentleman, who looks forward to a long and distinguished career as dean of the College of Natural Sciences. I’m pleased to welcome him to the university,” said Scott McNall, CSU, Chico provost and vice president for academic affairs.
“I am honored and excited about being named dean of the College of Natural Sciences. From my past experience with Chico, and through the interview process, I was thoroughly impressed with the caliber of the faculty, staff, and administrators. I am looking forward to working with the college community, as together we will provide leadership in instruction and scholarship in the natural sciences,” said Houpis.
###