UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 32, Page 1
May 21, 1992
Costel D. Denson named as interim vice provost

     Costel D. Denson, professor of chemical engineering who has
served as interim dean of the College of Engineering since last July,
has been named interim vice provost for research, effective July 1,
Provost R. Byron Pipes announced this week.
     "Dr. Denson brings expertise in leadership, scholarship and
grantsmanship to the position of interim vice provost, and I am
delighted that he has agreed to serve our University in this
capacity," Pipes said.
     The vice provost will work to enhance research and sponsored
program breadth, productivity and quality throughout the University,
Pipes said, and "substantial efforts will be directed to activities
that lead to growth in funding for sponsored programs."
     As vice provost, Denson also will be responsible for the
University of Delaware Research Foundation, University Research Grant
Programs, State Research Partnership Program, Office of Patents,
Pre-grant Sponsored Programs, Water Resources Center, Bartol
Institute, Institute of Energy Conversion and the Council for Research
Centers.
     This new position replaces one currently held by Robert D.
Varrin, who will retire, effective June 30, after 30 years' service to
the University- with the Delaware Geological Survey, as a faculty
member in the departments of Civil Engineering and Geology, as
director of the Water Resources Center and as University coordinator
and later associate provost for research and patents.
     In the College of Engineering, Denson has been responsible for
developing and teaching courses at both the undergraduate and graduate
levels and for establishing and supervising graduate research programs
in polymer processing. He also has advised undergraduate students in
chemical engineering.
     Since joining the Delaware faculty in 1977, he has supervised
eight doctoral dissertations and five master's theses.
     In addition, Denson has served on the search committee for
chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering, the editorial
board of the University of Delaware Press, the Faculty Selection
Committee of the Eugene du Pont Memorial Distinguished Scholar Program
and the Minority Engineering Committee.
     Before coming to Delaware, he was manager of polymer research and
development in major appliance business at the General Electric Co.
from 1969-77. He also served as adjunct professor at the University of
Louisville from 1970-77.
     Denson has been a visiting professor at the University of
California at Berkeley, the University of Naples and Lehigh
University.
     Active in the Society of Rheology, the American Chemical Society
and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Denson is
former chairperson of the Extrusion Division of the Society of
Plastics Engineers and currently serves on the division's Board of
Directors.
     He also is a member of the Nominating Committee of the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers and formerly served on its National
Program Committee.
     His many honors include the Thomas H. Chilton Award of the
Wilmington section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and
the International Award for Research of the Society of Plastics
Engineers.
     The author or co-author of more than 30 articles in professional
journals, Denson has two patents.
     He holds a bachelor's degree from Lehigh University, a master's
degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a doctorate from the
University of Utah, all in chemical engineering.
     Varrin holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Princeton
University, where he was a National Science Foundation fellow, and his
doctorate from the University of Delaware. Before joining the Delaware
faculty, he was a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and a
lecturer at Columbia University.
     Pipes said he suspended the search for the vice provost for
research and appointed Denson. In his announcement, he expressed
gratitude to the search committee and to the eight colleagues who
applied for the position. "They, like Dr. Denson, all have
accomplishments of very high caliber," Pipes said.