Nobel-winner Taylor to resign as dean of faculty at year's end

Joseph Taylor will step down from his position as dean of the faculty July 1 to return to full-time teaching and research as a physics professor, the University announced yesterday.

As dean of faculty since 1997, Taylor has been responsible for supervising academic departments and programs in addition to recruiting and retaining new faculty members.

"The principle thing that was different for me being in Nassau Hall was the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of distinguished people that we have," Taylor said. "These are opportunities that don't come automatically. We're fairly narrowly focused [as faculty]."

Though Taylor's term as dean of the faculty was originally five years, he agreed to stay in the position for a sixth year to assist President Tilghman as she succeeded former President Shapiro GS '64 in 2001.

"I am immensely grateful that he was willing to stay on an extra year to help in the transition," Tilghman said.

Tilghman said she has relied on Taylor's judgment and advice, and that he has made significant contributions to the University.

"Since the time he has been dean of faculty — the past six years — the faculty has been greatly strengthened," Tilghman said. "He has been able to attract to the University stellar junior and senior faculty."

Tilghman also lauded Taylor for his support of recent interdisciplinary academic initiatives, such as the Center for the Study of Religion and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.

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"The Center for the Study of Religion has brought wonderful fellows, not just from the religion department, but also sociology and the arts," she said.

Tilghman has appointed a committee of faculty from seven different departments to find a replacement for Taylor. The committee will talk to their colleagues about recommendations for possible candidates, she said.

"There is no single way in which to find someone at a senior level, but it is very important that the faculty have a major say," Tilghman said. "The most important quality is the respect of the faculty."

She added that the ideal replacement for the position is a "highly recognized scholar" with "intellectual breadth" who can address issues in any academic department, from arts to engineering.

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The committee to search for a replacement is chaired by history professor Philip Nord.

Also serving on the committee are geosciences chair Tony Dahlen, Slavic languages and literatures chair Caryl Emerson, economics professor Bo Honore, civil and environmental engineering professor Peter Jaffe, associate physics professor Suzanne Staggs GS '93 and English chair Michael Wood.

"We're hoping to find someone else who is equally intellectually respected while also being good with people," Staggs said.

Taylor came to the University in 1980 and earned the title of James McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Physics in 1986. He and Russell Hulse of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory shared the Nobel Prize in physics in 1993.

He will return to being a full-time member of the physics faculty in the 2003-04 academic year.

"There's a book manuscript that I put away when I stepped into this position," Taylor said. "I'm also looking forward to getting back into teaching and research."