Martin Moskovits, the third candidate in the search for UB's next provost, was introduced in an open forum Tuesday in Capen Hall.
Moskovits, dean of mathematical, life and physical sciences in the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said he has high hopes for UB and the surrounding Buffalo area.
"I think Buffalo is a place that has taken some hard times and has now reached a steady state," Moskovits said.
Moskovits said while UB possesses excellence, the university could push its standards further.
Bruce Jackson, distinguished professor and Samuel P. Capen professor of American culture, asked Moskovits why he would want to leave his current university after serving only four years.
"I went to UCSB for a challenge," he said. "I've done things there and I want to do more. Things plateau, and it's approximately the right time to look for the next challenge."
Patricia Shelly, associate director of the Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender, questioned Moskovits' ideas about equal opportunity at UB.
"Every university has its mandates to improve gender and race equality," Moskovits responded.
Faculty and staff in attendance also voiced concern over the lack of women faculty members in certain departments.
"There has been a decrease in women in faculty (at UB)," Moskovits said. "Progress is hard to come by, but it's happening. Women and minority candidates are truly welcomed."
The position Moskovits hopes to fill was vacated by Elizabeth Capaldi, who left UB to become SUNY vice chancellor after she did not make the final round in the search for UB's 14th president.
A member of the College of Arts and Sciences said the department is too small to compete with peer schools, and asked if Moskovits had any ideas for growth to make the faculty competitive.
"Achieving excellence is not something that can be achieved over a short period of time," Moskovits said. "It goes from dean to dean and provost to provost before it's accomplished."
Moskovits said he expects to face challenges during his time in Buffalo.
"I think the obstacles are the rebirth of this area," he said. "The community has reached a new steady state and the university will be a better role player to see better times."
Moskovits said that in order for UB to grow, the institution must make its presence better known in the community.
"Thirty years ago this university expanded to Amherst instead of closer to downtown," he said. "I can't say what I would do as provost to fix this without all the information, but I can say what people might do."
"You could establish a downtown presence, possibly through learning and outreach," Moskovits said. "You have to be in people's lives. Friendships start out of self interest, and continue through selfless interest."
Moskovits received his Ph.D. in 1971 from the University of Toronto. He is a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Along with the dean of engineering, Moskovits co-established UCSB's Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program and Advisory Committee.
He is currently Director of the Nanoelectronics Program at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. In 2002, Moskovits was honored with the Distinguished Lecturer Award by Dalhousie University.
