Richard R. Freeman has been recommended by Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray to be the new dean of the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Ohio State.

Freeman, who is the chairman of the Department of Applied Science at the University of California at Davis, will begin his tenure at OSU starting Aug. 1, 2003.

“I’m looking forward to this great opportunity,” Freeman said. “I never thought I’d leave the University of California. However, to have the chance to work at a great school like OSU and take the college into dramatic directions is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

Ray recommended to OSU President Karen A. Holbrook the appointment of Freeman, who will succeed Robert Gold, who retires June 30. Gold has been dean for seven years and provided service to the university for 35 years.

“Dr. Freeman has a strong background in both the academic and corporate worlds, and is leading an excellent research unit at UC-Davis,” Ray said. “I am certain the college will benefit enormously from his experience and leadership.”

Freeman has an extensive history in mathematics and science, including the five years he spent at UC-Davis. He also spent 20 years researching at AT&T Bell Laboratories.

“Bell Laboratories was the finest physics research lab at the time,” he said. Freeman was offered high positions in several universities, including Yale, but decided to take the job at Bell because of the opportunity to work with lasers, which he has been interested in for a long time.

“Lasers are magic. They never fail to amaze me,” Freeman said. “I feel privileged to have worked with lasers for so long.”

The college appointed a committee to choose the new dean. The committee was made of faculty and staff, who conducted a national search and evaluated all of the applicants for the job. The candidates were then interviewed, and finally the committee narrowed their choices to four, according to Melissa Webber, the director of communications and outreach at the college. The final four then gave presentations, and the board made their decision and advised the provost of their recommendation.

Freeman’s final presentation was impressive to the board members, said John Whitcomb, a staff member in the Department of Physics who was on the committee.

“The thing that impressed me the most was his strong academic record,” Whitcomb said. “And he’s a real straight-shooter. He has great vision for this college.”

Whitcomb said that although the college is already great, Freeman has the ability to improve it.

“The school is poised to go from extremely good to spectacular,” he said.

Freeman’s project, which he has been working on for the last eight years, involves using fusion energy for power. This energy is nonpolluting nuclear energy that does not give bad byproducts that possibly could be used by terrorists, Freeman said.

“This project attracts a lot of students because although it’s very scientifically involved, they like the idea of playing a role in something that is relative to everyone’s life.”

Freeman said he believes he can help OSU’s College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences become one of the top handful of colleges in the country. He hopes to improve communication between different colleges at OSU, especially the medical, biological, and engineering colleges.

“I come from a campus which values the interactive research,” he said. “One of my goals is to promote and encourage faculty to look outside their area of expertise.”