Look who's new at Lake State

NEWS RELEASE

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY

************************* SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State University has hired Scott J. Amos Ph.D., an academic professional with more than 20 years experience in higher education and educational leadership, as LSSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Amos, who is currently dean of the School of Technology at Michigan Technological University (MTU), will start at LSSU on April 15. He replaces longtime professor and administrator Bruce Harger, who retired last fall. Since September, LSSU's Dean of Nursing, Steven E. Merrill Ph.D., has been serving as Acting Provost/VPAA.

"We are very fortunate at Lake Superior to have attracted a person of Dr. Amos' caliber to this position," said LSSU President Rodney L. Lowman, Ph.D. "Not only is he a well-trained academic with excellent academic credentials, but also he brings a wealth of administrative experience both in and out of academia. His energy and enthusiasm for helping our university grow and develop are exciting. Dr. Amos will be a dynamic and important addition to the leadership of our institution."

Amos has served as a tenured full professor and dean of the MTU School of Technology since 2004. While at MTU, he led the development and successful reinvention of six undergraduate degrees, offered and supported international opportunities for students and faculty, and implemented a teacher-scholar model that successfully aligned the School of Technology with the MTU strategic plan.

Previously, Amos was professor and head of the Dept. of Industrial Management in the College of Business Administration at Missouri State University, and before that he developed and directed a Construction Management Technology program in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Weber State University, Ogden, Utah.

He is a registered professional engineer in Minnesota, and certified professional constructor with the American Institute of Constructors.

Amos served in the U.S. Navy from 1979 to 1992 in the Civil Engineer Corps. His experience took him from Japan and the Philippines, as well as several locations in the US. He retired with the rank of lieutenant commander.

"I am very excited about joining the faculty, staff and students at Lake Superior State University," said Amos. "This institution has a great future ahead of it, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of it.

"In today's global economy, we must ensure that our graduates are provided with more cross-disciplinary knowledge in science, global cultures, technology and society; advanced skills in communication, teamwork and analytic reasoning; and more practice in applying what they learn," Amos continued. "From what I have seen, LSSU is positioned to rise to this next level of excellence. It is obviously a great institution already, and I hope to work with others to help increase its degree offerings, attract more students and offer academic outreach opportunities to the citizens of the area. A commitment to excellence in teaching and to remaining on the cutting edge of one's discipline is the teacher-scholar ideal. I'm pleased to see that this ideal is already one of the core elements of Lake State's identity."

Amos holds a doctorate in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction engineering and management from the University of Florida and a master's degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He is also a graduate of the Command and Staff program at the US Naval War College.

Amos' research interest centers on cost engineering theory and practice as it relates to the construction and manufacturing industries. He has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator on research projects addressing value engineering and advanced manufacturing and has published more than 30 technical articles or significant research reports and served as editor for one book. He has served as an instructor in short courses and workshops for the American Public Works Association, American Concrete Institute, and Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering.

He has won several awards for teaching, research and service, including "Outstanding Professor of Industrial Technology Award" from the National Association of Industrial Technology in 2007. He has been recognized twice by the American Society for Engineering Education for outstanding service as a campus representative and was honored as the Pacific Ocean Area, Engineer of the Year in recognition of his outstanding performance in the engineering profession and exemplary service to the community. He is also a recipient of the “Total Cost Management Award” from the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering, AACE International.

Amos grew up in Ogden, Utah. He comes to LSSU and Sault Ste. Marie with his wife, Joycelyn, a native of Hawaii, and daughter Maile, 14.

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