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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Larry Flick has been named dean of the College of Education at Oregon State University, succeeding Sam Stern, who is returning to his faculty position after a sabbatical. Flick is currently chair of the Department of Science and Math Education in the College of Science and associate dean for academic affairs with the College of Education.

He will begin his new position July 1, 2011. Flick is uniquely positioned to help the college as it reorganizes its programming to focus on two major areas - science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and cultural and linguistic diversity.

Flick has been teaching at OSU since 1994. A former electrical engineer from Purdue University turned middle school science teacher in Indianapolis, Flick earned his Ph.D. in science education from Indiana University in 1985. He went on to teach at University of Oregon and Washington State University before joining the faculty at OSU.

In 2003, Flick became chair of Science and Mathematics Education, and was appointed part-time associate dean of the College of Education in January 2011. His areas of specialization include the psychology of concept formation in science and methods of teaching which orient students toward big ideas in science and mathematics.

As dean of the OSU College of Education, Flick will oversee an academic unit that has more than 14,000 alumni in all 50 states and 35 different countries. Many of the College's graduates serve as college presidents and educational leaders. The College's historic home, Education Hall, is currently undergoing an extensive renovation to address seismic concerns, and when complete will be LEED certified-equivalent. The renovation was made possible by a number of generous donors, including a $2 million donation by the Joyce N. Furman Memorial Trust.

Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and executive vice president, said Flick's expertise in both the Colleges of Science and Education will strengthen the relationship between the colleges.

"This is an exciting time for the College of Education," Randhawa said. "The refurbishment of Education Hall, one of our University's most historic and cherished buildings, is well underway, and the partnership between the Colleges of Education and Science to align the Department of Science and Mathematics Education with the College of Education is in process, along with the creation of a Center for Research in Lifelong STEM Learning.
"The college's greater emphasis on STEM education going forward will bring focus and distinction to the College of Education, as it continues to partner with the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences to advance the goals of the Division of Arts and Sciences."

Flick envisions a College of Education that raises the level of and capacity for externally fund research while building the major program areas of lifelong STEM education, counseling, adult and higher education, and teacher education.

"I see the College becoming both the site of increasing amounts of high quality scholarship and becoming a major source of information in the state about research and transformative programs in STEM education and cultural and linguistic diversity education," Flick said.

Flick looks forward to working with faculty at OSU Cascades Campus as a significant contributor to growth in programs and scholarship. The reorganized college with foci in lifelong STEM education and cultural and linguistic diversity will prepare students coming out of the OSU College of Education to meet the unique challenges in the changing landscape of education in today's technical and diverse society.

Flick's appointment as dean follows Sam Stern's near decade-long service as dean. Stern joined the University in 1981, has served as Dean of Education since 2002, and plans to return to the faculty.

"I am grateful for Sam's leadership and service to the University," said Randhawa.  "There have been many notable accomplishments along the way, and in particular, the campus has benefited from his implementation of the hugely successful double-degree program."