Dear Colleagues,  

I am writing with news of a leadership transition in the College of Science and Technology. Michael L. Klein, a Fellow of the Royal Society, will be concluding his service as dean on June 30, 2023. An internationally renowned scientist, Mike will return to CST faculty, where he will continue to pursue his research and teaching interests.

Ten years ago, Mike took on the position of dean at a key time. Temple was in the process of expanding its research enterprise, and there is no overstating the role that Mike and his faculty played in elevating the university to the top tier of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

A commitment to research, specifically collaborative interdisciplinary research, has always been at the core of Mike’s academic career. His comprehensive studies of solids, liquids and assemblies of macromolecules have led to methodologies/algorithms that are used by computational scientists worldwide. He plans to vigorously continue this groundbreaking research in the years to come.

Prior to coming to Temple, Mike spent 22 years on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, serving as director of the National Science Foundation-sponsored Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter from 1993 to 2009. He was named a Laura H. Carnell Professor of Science and director of the Institute for Computational Molecular Science upon arriving at Temple in 2009, two positions he will continue to hold after he steps down from the deanship. He will also continue to serve as the principal investigator for four significant Department of Defense grants at Temple.

While Mike is a native of London, he has very much embraced his adopted hometown of Philadelphia. Of all the international acclaim he has received, Mike counts the recognition from his city among his proudest accomplishments. In 2015, he was named a STEM Champion for all Youth in Philadelphia. Then, in 2020, he earned the prestigious John Scott Award, whose past winners include Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk and Nikola Tesla.

For all his research prowess, Mike has also always been an equally devoted teacher. He cares greatly about students and especially student outcomes. In recent years, he has even begun teaching first-year seminars for cohorts of students with common majors.

Please join me in thanking Mike for his outstanding service to both CST and Temple University. We are eager to watch his scholarship and research contributions continue to grow in the years to come.

Sincerely,

Gregory N. Mandel
Provost
Laura H. Carnell Professor of Law