Penn State Professor Named Earth and Mineral Sciences Dean

A longtime Penn State faculty member has been named the next dean of the university’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

Lee Kump, professor and head of the Department of Geosciences, will succeed Bill Easterling, who is beginning a four-year appointment as the National Science Foundation’s director for the Directorate for Geosciences. Easterling remains a Penn State professor. Kump’s appointment is pending approval by the university’s Board of Trustees on July 21 and he will serve as interim dean between June 1 and then.

Kump will oversee the college’s five academic departments, the John A. Dutton e-Education Institute and three research centers.

A Penn State faculty member in geosciences since 1986, Kump is a leading paleoclimatologist, specializing in ‘atmosphere and ocean evolution, environmental biogeochemistry, and biogeochemical cycles,’ according to a university release.

He has led research projects with organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency, NSF and NASA.

“For more than 30 years, Lee has been a dedicated educator who has challenged students to strive for new levels of academic success, conducted research that has informed our understanding of the world, and advanced the mission of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences,” said Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost, in a release. “Penn State is immensely grateful to Bill Easterling for his hard work and impact on the University during his tenure as dean, and we are confident that Lee will build on Bill’s achievements and further bolster the college as a leader in its fields.’

Kump’s research has focused on the forces behind climate change throughout history. He co-authored the 2016 book “Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate Change,” which exams the findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is also the author of the widely-used textbook “The Earth System.” 

He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Geochemical Society, European Association of Geochemistry, Geological Society of London, and the Geological Society of America. 

Throughout his career, Kump has taught numerous courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

“I look forward to serving and facilitating the great work of the faculty, students and staff of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences,” he said. “Society faces many challenges that require deep understanding and innovative solutions from the Earth, energy and materials sciences and engineering disciplines. My goal is to maximize opportunities for productive collaboration and progress so that people within our college can recognize their full potential to serve society through research, education and service.’

Kump received a doctorate in marine sciences from the University of South Florida and a bachelor’s degree in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago.