Cornell Professor Alan Mathios, who has been serving as interim dean of the College of Human Ecology since July 2007, has been appointed the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology for a five-year term, beginning July 1.

Mathios, who has been at Cornell since 1992 and served as senior associate dean for academic affairs and undergraduate education from 2004 to 2007, succeeds Lisa Staiano-Coico, who last July became provost of Temple University.

A professor of policy analysis and management, Mathios is the former associate chair and director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Policy Analysis and Management.

"Alan Mathios brings to the deanship of the College of Human Ecology a deep knowledge of the university and a broad perspective gained in both academic and public policy spheres," said Cornell President David J. Skorton. "I am delighted that he has agreed to apply his wisdom and vision in advancing the mission of the College of Human Ecology as its new dean."

Said Cornell Provost Biddy Martin: "I am delighted that Alan has agreed to serve as the dean of the College of Human Ecology. The combination of his distinguished academic career and strong administrative experience are well known and well respected. He has done an exceptional job as interim dean, and I am fully confident that he will continue to do so in the permanent role of dean. His leadership is certain to be of great benefit to both the college and to interdisciplinary programs throughout the university."

Mathios commented: "The College of Human Ecology is an incredible institution with a foundation of strong, distinct disciplines and a commitment to integrating our three missions of academics, research and outreach. Human Ecology has forged a dynamic and unique approach to creating and sharing knowledge to advance and improve the human condition. I am honored, humbled and excited to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the college on its amazing trajectory."

Mathios assumes leadership over a college with 105 faculty members, 1,300 undergraduates, 225 graduate students and 70 research and extension associates.

He is the co-editor of the Journal of Consumer Policy and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Consumer Affairs and the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. He is also the project leader on the program Consumers, Pharmaceutical Policy and Health, funded by the Merck Company Foundation.

Mathios came to Cornell following six years at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where he served as a senior staff economist in the Division of Economic Policy Analysis and as an econometrics consultant to the Bureau of Economics, where he was recognized with the Outstanding Scholarship Award, the Excellence in Economics Award and the Award for Superior Service to the FTC.

A major focus of his research is the effect of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory policies on consumer and corporate behavior. He also researches government tax and advertising policies and their effect on smoking onset and cessation. Other work focuses on the impact of food advertising on food and nutrition choices as well as the impact of pharmaceutical advertising on consumer health. His research has been funded by such organizations as the National Cancer Institute, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Merck Foundation Co.

Mathios, who has taught courses on how economics interacts with legal and regulatory systems and on how government policy affects welfare, has received a number of teaching and advising awards, including the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and Cornell's Kendall S. Carpenter Advising Award.

His extension work is in the area of federal regulation of advertising policy. His work directly addresses policy issues surrounding disclosure requirements for pharmaceutical product advertising, and his work is often cited by researchers, policymakers at several government agencies, and various think tank and advocacy groups. He has served as a consultant to the FDA and to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences on Food Marketing and Obesity.

Mathios received a B.A. in economics and psychology (1980) at the State University of New York at Buffalo and his Ph.D. in economics (1985) from the University of Pennsylvania.