David Gerdes, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Physics and a professor of astronomy, has served on the University of Michigan faculty since 1998 and as chair of the physics department since 2019. He also serves as chair of the Michigan Society of Fellows, which promotes interdisciplinary scholarship across the university.
“The College of Arts and Sciences is a core piece of the Case Western Reserve experience, and it demands an exceptional leader,” said President Eric W. Kaler. “I am eager to support David as he works to bolster the impressive breadth of education, research, scholarship and creative endeavors taking place across the college.”
Gerdes has earned the University of Michigan’s highest awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching and is especially known for his inclusion of undergraduate students in his renowned research.