Foley named dean of College of IST

Henry C. 'Hank' Foley

University Park, Pa. -- Henry C. "Hank" Foley, associate vice president for research and director of strategic initiatives, has been appointed dean of the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), pending approval of the Board of Trustees during their meeting at University Park on Nov. 17. Foley's appointment was announced today (Nov. 2) by Rod Erickson, executive vice president and provost.

"Hank Foley is well qualified to take the reins of leadership in the College of Information Sciences and Technology," said Erickson. "He is a highly respected scholar, gifted teacher and proven academic leader at Penn State."

Foley has served as interim dean of IST since July 1. In his role as dean, Foley will be responsible for providing leadership in undergraduate and graduate education, research, and solutions services to a wide array of IT organizations. The dean also plays an important role in coordinating the educational programming for IST across all undergraduate campuses of the University.

Foley, who holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from Penn State, returned to the University in 2000 as the Walter L. Robb family endowed chair and head of the Department of Chemical Engineering. In 2004 he accepted his current position, where he is responsible for the development of major new research initiatives and working closely with state and federal agencies to enhance Penn State's research opportunities. Foley also provides overall leadership for the University's Homeland Security Council, Marine Corps Research University, the Worldwide Universities Network, Center for Space Research, and Animal Resource Program.

The appointment will be effective Nov. 20.

Foley said he was looking forward to his new responsibilities in IST. "IST is a new kind of college at the cutting-edge of academic thought and practice," he said. "It's an exciting time to analyze the impact of information sciences and technology on people, organizations and cultures while synthesizing new solutions for diverse enterprises in an increasingly global society."

Previous to his service at Penn State , Foley was professor of chemical engineering at the University of Delaware from 1996 to 2000. He has received several prestigious awards and honors, including a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation in 1987.

Foley served as a scientist and technical manager in private industry before joining academia. With his students, he has published more than 100 journal articles and he holds 13 patents. Foley has done extensive industrial consulting and is author of the textbook, "Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis Using Mathematica," published in 2003.

Students were first admitted to Penn State's College of IST in September of 1999, and it has rapidly become one of the premier colleges of its kind in the nation.