Just when I've recovered from my last bout of jet lag I find myself packing for another trip. This time, I'm headed to Washington, D.C., to review grant proposals for the National Science Foundation. Soon after that trip, I'll head to the Morningside Center of Mathematics in Beijing where I will deliver a series of lectures to some of the best graduate students in China. I have always enjoyed interacting with graduate students and appreciate it even more now because it’s not something I get to do often in my role as dean. I also have been invited to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. That trip is set for this fall.
In all three trips, I'm going as a mathematician. I will be investing valuable time at staying current with my profession, but I will reap some benefits as dean, too. For one, I'll get an opportunity to see what research is under way elsewhere. As on past such trips I am sure I will come away with an even greater appreciation for the outstanding research done in the college and for what it takes for faculty and students to pursue such work. I also should come away with some fresh ideas on how to keep the college at the leading edge of research.
Getting out and mingling with some of the world's best researchers also helps raise UNL's profile. I will find myself among people from places like Harvard or the University of Paris and that emphasizes UNL's reputation as a research powerhouse.
In all three trips, I'm going as a mathematician. I will be investing valuable time at staying current with my profession, but I will reap some benefits as dean, too. For one, I'll get an opportunity to see what research is under way elsewhere. As on past such trips I am sure I will come away with an even greater appreciation for the outstanding research done in the college and for what it takes for faculty and students to pursue such work. I also should come away with some fresh ideas on how to keep the college at the leading edge of research.
Getting out and mingling with some of the world's best researchers also helps raise UNL's profile. I will find myself among people from places like Harvard or the University of Paris and that emphasizes UNL's reputation as a research powerhouse.
