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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

June 11, 2004

Thomas named interim Education dean

by Annette Hacker

Provost Benjamin Allen has appointed Jerry Thomas, professor and chair of health and human performance, as interim dean of the College of Education effective Aug. 1.

He succeeds Walter Gmelch, who will leave July 31 to become dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco.

Earlier this year, President Gregory Geoffroy announced a plan to combine the colleges of Education and Family and Consumer Sciences to reduce administrative costs and enhance synergies between the two colleges. Thomas will fill the interim role until a permanent dean for the combined college is selected.

"Dr. Thomas is a nationally recognized scholar, he has provided extremely effective leadership for the department of health and human performance, and has provided significant service to the university," Allen said.

Thomas, who also has been serving as interim associate dean for research and graduate education since last September, researches motor control development across childhood and adolescence. His teaching specialties include motor development, research methods and statistics, youth sport and motor learning and control.

The recipient of numerous national honors and awards, Thomas is a fellow of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. In 2003, he was named a distinguished scholar by the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

Thomas has been a visiting scholar at the University of Western Australia, Perth; and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Thomas also has been a visiting scientist at the Beijing Institute for Physical Education, Beijing, China; and at the Korea Sport Science Institute, Seoul, Korea.

Thomas earned a bachelor's degree (1963) in health and exercise science (formerly physical education) from Furman University, Greenville, S.C., and master's (1964) and doctorate (1970) degrees from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. He joined the Iowa State faculty in 1998. Prior to coming to Iowa State, Thomas served in various faculty and administrative positions at Arizona State University, Tempe; Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Florida State University, Tallahassee; and Georgia Southern College, Statesboro.

Summary

Earlier this year, President Gregory Geoffroy announced a plan to combine the colleges of Education and Family and Consumer Sciences to reduce administrative costs and enhance synergies between the two colleges. Jerry Thomas will fill the interim role until a permanent dean for the combined college is selected.