Barker highlights successes and challenges at end-of-year meeting

Published: December 16, 2009

CLEMSON — Clemson University President James F. Barker closed the fall semester Wednesday, congratulating faculty and staff members at the year-end general faculty meeting for a successful semester and outlining the challenges ahead.

“We began the fiscal year in July in a $50 million hole and more cuts came after that. But we end the semester with the announcement three weeks ago of the biggest research grant in Clemson history,” Barker said, referring to a $45-million dollar Department of Energy grant, to be matched with $53 million from state and private partners, to build a testing facility for giant wind turbine drive trains at the Restoration Institute campus near Charleston.

“This $98-million project immediately positions Clemson and the state of South Carolina to become national leaders in the emerging offshore wind-power industry,” Barker said.

Barker asked faculty members to consider how they, as researchers and educators, can help address the “grand challenges of our time.” He said these include energy, the economy, food, water, education and health and wellness.

“Our role as teachers is to prepare our students to change the world,” Barker said. “The world is changing and needs to change in significant ways. This generation will face many issues and problems, and we must help them.”

Clemson faculty and staff members recognized during the meeting include:

• John D. Mueller, associate professor of plant pathology and physiology and a research and extension plant pathologist. He received the Alumni Award for Cooperative Extension Distinguished Public Service.
• Barbara Hoskins, assistant dean of distance education, received the Ralph D. Elliott Endowed Award for Outstanding Service to Off-Campus, Distance and Continuing Education.
• Patrick McMillan received the Rowland P. Alston Sr. Award for Excellence in Public Relations. McMillan is host, co-creator and writer of the ETV nature program Expeditions with Patrick McMillan. He also is a professional naturalist, lecturer and director of the Campbell Museum of Natural History at Clemson.
• The Thomas Green Clemson Award for Excellence was presented to Elizabeth Carney and Barbara Rogers. Carney is the undergraduate coordinator in the history department at Clemson, and Rogers works in the university’s Office of Undergraduate Studies.

END