The first of four finalists in the search for a dean of the College of Sciences will interview with various campus groups Thursday.

Patrick Brown, director for the Center for Wildlife Ecology at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana since 1994. starts the on-campus interview process. Brown has a Ph.D. in fisheries and wildlife from the University of Missouri, a master’s of science degree in animal ecology from Iowa State University, and a bachelor’s of science degree in biology from Central Michigan University.

Brown and the other three finalists will each visit campus for three days. Brown’s visit began Wednesday with an evening meal hosted by search committee members. Candidates’ second and third visiting days consist of meetings with university administrators and organizations like the president, vice president for academic affairs, deans and associate deans, college of sciences chairs and directors, several academic counsels and the college of sciences dean’s office staff. Today is Brown’s second day of interviewing.

The second day of interviewing begins at 7:30 a.m. at a breakfast and ends after a 6:30 p.m dinner with the search committee. Open sessions for faculty, students and staff will be Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Library Conference Room 4440.

The final day begins at a 7:45 a.m. breakfast and ends with a campus tour at 11 a.m.

James Johnson, dean of the college of arts and humanities and search committee chair, said that all applicants would have the same schedule if university administrators’ schedules permitted.

The other three applicants interviewing for the position are Edward Kick, chair of the sociology and anthropology department at Middle Tennessee State University; Philip Suckling, head of the department of geography at the University of Northern Iowa, and Mary Ann Hanner, acting dean of the College of sciences at Eastern.

Since the search began last October, the search committee has narrowed down the search to four applicants that the committee felt “best addressed the criteria for the position,” Johnson, said.

The qualifications for the job, according to the Web site advertising the position, are a doctorate degree with teaching and researching experience. The applicant must also have been a tenured faculty member with experience as an academic administrator, and also have experience working with budget planning in a higher educational setting. The applicant must show clear leadership ability, outstanding leadership skills, and commitment to diversity and equal opportunity.

The position is expected to be filled by July 1.