Michigan State University College of Natural Science explained

MSU College of Natural Science
Dean:Phillip M. Duxbury
Faculty:400+
Undergrad:6500
Postgrad:1000

The College of Natural Science (NatSci) at Michigan State University is home to 27 departments and programs in the biological, physical and mathematical sciences.[1]

The college averages $51M in research expenditures annually and claims to have more than 6,500 undergraduate majors and nearly 1,000 graduate students. There are 730 faculty and academic staff associated with NatSci and more than 47,000 living alumni worldwide.

Departments and programs

Departments

Additional Units

Undergraduate studies

The college offers both Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees.

Majors in the college include:[2]

Dean's Research Scholars

The Dean's Research Scholars are a group of outstanding undergraduate students who represent the nearly 5,000 hard-working science and mathematics majors in the College of Natural Science.[3]

Scholars are named for a 12-month term from May through the following May. During that time, scholars will participate in the following:

Criteria for becoming a Dean's Research Scholar

RISE and Drew Scholars

Two special undergraduate programs are in place for students:RISE or Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment is for MSU students interested in stewardship of the environment.

Charles Drew Science Scholars is a program providing academic and social support for high achieving students pursuing science and math degrees, including individuals interested in professional health and science careers, such as, medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, research, pharmacology, optometry, physical therapy, and public health.

Study Abroad, Study Away

NatSci also offers a Study Abroad and Study Away off-campus programs in:

Graduate studies

Advanced study is available through the following degree programs and specializations:

[4]

Professional Science Masters (PSM) programs

The College of Natural Science offers several PSM degrees to prepare and train students in technical areas for positions in industry. The PSM is a professional M.S. degree in science or mathematics for students interested in a wider variety of career options than provided by current graduate programs in the sciences and mathematics.

The three areas of program development include:

PSM Programs:[5]

Science and mathematics teachers

NatSci offers master's degrees and certificates for science and mathematics teachers. These programs are coordinated with MSU's College of Education. For Mathematics Education, the program is administered by Program for Mathematics Education, or PRIME. For Science Education, the program is administered by the Center for Integrative Studies in General Science, or CISGS, under the "Integrated Science Education" area.

Research centers, institutes and facilities

The college has a variety of resources available to researchers.

Administration

Phillip M. Duxbury is dean of Michigan State University's College of Natural Science (NatSci).[6]

Prior to his appointment as dean, Duxbury served as chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy (PA) from August 2013 until August 2018. He joined the MSU faculty in 1986 as an assistant professor, was promoted to associate professor in 1994 and became a full professor in 1998. During his MSU tenure, Duxbury has also served as PA graduate studies director, associate director of the MSU Center for Fundamental Materials Research, director of the Center for Nanomaterials Design and Assembly, and director of the Center of Research Excellence in Complex Materials. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Duxbury's specialties include statistical physics, solar device models, ultrafast processes and accelerator physics. His research focuses on ultrafast nanocrystallography and applications to ultrafast processes in materials; phase behavior of polymer-nanoparticle mixtures with applications to organic and perovskite solar cells; phase behavior of nanoparticle-lipid bilayer systems with applications to nanotoxicology; and finding the atomic structure of non-crystalline materials, such as isolated nanoparticles and complex molecules, involving the definition and solution of novel inverse problems. Duxbury's research is funded by grants from the National Science Foundation. He is also co-PI of a workforce development project in Accelerator Science and Technology funded by the Department of Energy.

Education:

Ph.D.  (physics) University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

B.S. (physics) University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

It was announced on July 30, 2024 that Duxbury will step down as dean. Eric Hegg has been recommended to serve as the next dean of Michigan State University’s College of Natural Science effective Sept. 1, 2024.

Hegg will serve as dean designee prior to the MSU Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 6, 2024. Pending board approval, Hegg will succeed Duxbury who has served as the college’s dean since August 2018.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NatSci About Page. natsci.msu.edu. 2020-04-07.
  2. https://natsci.msu.edu/academics/undergraduate/degree-programs/ Undergraduate Degree Programs
  3. Web site: Dean's Research Scholars. natsci.msu.edu. 2020-04-08.
  4. https://natsci.msu.edu/academics/graduate/degree-programs/NatSci Masters and PhD Programs
  5. https://natsci.msu.edu/academics/graduate/professional-science-masters/ PSM Programs
  6. Web site: NatSci Dean Page. natsci.msu.edu. 2020-04-07.
  7. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/eric-hegg-recommended-as-dean-of-msu-college-of-natural-science

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