Anthony G. Collins:
Anthony G. Collins began serving as Clarkson University's 16th President on July 1, 2003. He is vice-chair of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (cIcu), an executive board member of the Central New York Metropolitan Development Authority (MDA), president of the Seaway Private Equity Corporation (SPEC), vice president of the Associated Colleges of St. Lawrence Valley, and a board member of CITEC Manufacturing & Technology Solutions and the New York Indoor Environmental Quality (NYIEQ) Center.
Growing up outside Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Collins earned an undergraduate civil engineering degree from Monash University, and then master's and doctoral degrees from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Prior to his doctoral studies, he worked for both Australian Consolidated Industries and Utah Development Company. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1982, Dr. Collins launched his career at Clarkson, in Potsdam, New York, as an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Subsequently rising to the rank of Professor, he also assumed increasing levels of administrative responsibility, including Department Chair, Dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Provost. He has received the John W. Graham Faculty Research Award, the Distinguished Teaching Award, and two Outstanding Advising Awards.
A leader in shaping the academic component of the University's strategic plan, Dr. Collins was also a primary architect of the Vision of a Clarkson Education that has guided evolution of the curriculum since 1995. His encouragement of an interdisciplinary approach in teaching, research and coursework helped lead to development of project-based team learning that has earned Clarkson national recognition. He has established productive liaisons with government representatives at all levels that have assisted in spurring a dramatic increase in sponsored research support.
Dr. Collins has focused on the theme "Evolution to Excellence" for his presidency, and in his inaugural address he described three key building blocks in Clarkson's ongoing pursuit of excellence: elevating the University's academic reputation, strengthening financial resources, and increasing the engagement of alumni. While promoting stronger, mutually beneficial interaction with the surrounding community and region, Dr. Collins has emerged as an innovative leader in aligning collaborative research at universities with economic development opportunities in Upstate New York.