New dean of arts and science at MU named

MU’s College of Arts and Science is getting a new dean with an interest in old things.

Provost Brian Foster announced on Friday the appointment of Michael J. O’Brien as dean of the College of Arts and Science, the largest college at MU. Since 1986, O’Brien, 55, has served as the associate dean of the college under two previous deans, Dick Schwartz and Larry Clark. O’Brien will make the same salary as his predecessor, $175,000 per year.

“He’s been a fine associate dean,” said colleague Jay Gubrium, chair of the sociology department. “It was well-deserved.” Gubrium has known O’Brien four years and said he is easy to work with.

O’Brien’s research focuses on the integration of evolutionary theory in archaeology. Of the 24 books O’Brien has written or edited, “Applying Evolutionary Archaeology,” was the most controversial. O’Brien and Lee Lyman, the department chair of Anthropology, wrote the book, which was published in 2000.

“Not a lot of people have tried to integrate the evolution theory into archaeology,” O’Brien said. “Archaeology just wasn’t quite ready for Darwin.”

O’Brien wants students to know he is someone who “cares deeply about their education, and who is trying to put the best people in front of them for their education.” He will teach an honors course in the fall for incoming freshmen. While he enjoys teaching, O’Brien said, “Time may not permit me to teach as I would otherwise like to.” O’Brien said a challenge the college is facing is “to continue to hire and keep world-class faculty,” he said, “and to do that you need competitive salaries and updated technology.”

O’Brien is also a professor of anthropology, director of the Museum of Anthropology and senior research investigator at the MU Research Reactor. He received his bachelor’s degree from Rice University, in Houston, in 1972 and his doctoral degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977.

All three of his children, Nathan, Kimberly and Aaron, studied anthropology in college.

“We talked about it when they were kids, but we never pushed them,” O’Brien said.

Even though his children didn’t choose degrees in anthropology, O’Brien is glad they studied a science at all.

“A liberal arts or science background will prepare you for anything in life,” he said.

On the weekends, O’Brien enjoys collecting U.S. postage stamps and playing bridge. Even with his packed agenda, O’Brien will squeeze some time in to play with his two “lazy” cats, Mr. Kitty and Mr. Marley.