Five things you didn’t know about the new CSE Dean

March 6, 2017

1. He’s a “rock star”...literally.Renowned for his research in geochemistry, geochronology and petrology, Dean Mukasa’s work on the origin and evolution of rocks in Antarctica, the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean regions has helped shed light on the evolution of continents and climate change.

2. He’s been to the ends of the Earth.

Mukasa’s research has brought him to the Arctic twice and Antarctic nine times. He has been to the South Pole four times. He has a collection of rocks and gems from all seven continents.

3. His fate was determined on a mountain.

At age 8, Mukasa’s uncle took him mountain climbing and he fell in love with the outdoors. He became president of his high school mountain club, which launched his career as a geoscientist.

4. The buck stops with him.

As former dean of the University of New Hampshire’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Mukasa successfully raised $23 million in individual and corporate support, the most in the school's history. An additional $7 million came in just after his departure.

5. He’s been a Buckeye and a Wolverine. Now he’s a Gopher.

Mukasa has ties to other Big 10 schools with a master’s degree from The Ohio State University and 21 years on the University of Michigan faculty, but he’s now a true Gopher and Goldy's friend.