| C. Daniel Mote, Jr. | |
|---|---|
Dr. C. Daniel Mote |
|
| University of Maryland, College Park | |
| Term | 1998 – 2010 |
| Born | February 5, 1937 San Francisco, California |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley |
| Profession | Professor, university administrator, academic |
Clayton Daniel Mote, Jr., Ph.D. (born February 5, 1937) served as President of the University of Maryland, College Park from September 1998 till August 2010. From 1967 to 1991, Mote was a professor in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and served as Vice Chancellor at Berkeley from 1991 to 1998.
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Mote was born in San Francisco, California and received his bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees from the University of California, Berkeley in mechanical engineering. He briefly taught at Carnegie-Mellon University before returning to Berkeley as an assistant professor in 1967. Eventually, he rose to become chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he established a reputation as a strong fundraiser.
Over the course of his academic career, Mote was primarily involved with research in the fields of dynamic systems and biomechanics. He is internationally known for research on the dynamics of gyroscopic systems and the biomechanics of snow skiing, including work to produce thinner and safer saw blades for the wood industry, and improvements in ski bindings to reduce knee injuries. He has produced over 300 academic publications, and has mentored 56 Ph.D. students.[1][2]
In September 1991, Mote was chosen to serve as a vice chancellor of Berkeley in charge of fundraising.[1] In this position, he implemented a major fundraising campaign in 1993, which eventually raised $1.4 billion for the university.[2] Mote was a candidate to succeed retiring Berkeley chancellor Chang-Lin Tien in 1997, but was unsuccessful.[1]
In 1998, Brit Kirwan announced he would be resigning as President of the University of Maryland, College Park. Kirwan cited dwindling state funding as his primary reason for departure, which he argued was preventing the University from improving its academic standards. The chancellor of the University System of Maryland began the search for Kirwan's replacement and said the primary focus would be to hire a candidate with strong fundraising capabilities. In June 1998, Mote was chosen to succeed Kirwan as president and assumed the office that September.[1] His tenure at the University of Maryland has indeed seen a significant effort at increasing private fundraising.[2]
In particular, Mote has implemented a building campaign to both refurbish aging university buildings and expand facilities. During his second year in office, more than $100 million in new building projects began construction. Several major facilities have been built or are being constructed, including the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Comcast Center, the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, the Biosciences Research Building, and the "M Square" Research Park.[2]
Mote retired on August 31, 2010 though his academic appointment in the Clark Engineering School will continue.[3]
Mote has been married for over forty years to Patricia Mote, a supporter of the arts. She is a spokesperson for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and a member of the Prince George's County Arts Commission. They have two children, Melissa and Adam, and four grandchildren, Zoe, Danny, Megan, and Katie.[2]
Mote has received numerous distinctions throughout his career:[2]
| Preceded by Brit Kirwan |
President of the University of Maryland, College Park 1998–2010 |
Succeeded by Wallace Loh |