Dr. C.D. “Dan” Mote, Jr.
C.D. "Dan" Mote, Jr. served as the president of the University of Maryland from September 1998 through August 2010.
Previously, Mote served on the University of California, Berkeley faculty for 31 years. From 1991 to 1998, he was vice chancellor at Berkeley, held an endowed chair in mechanical systems and was president of the UC Berkeley Foundation. He led a comprehensive capital campaign for Berkeley that raised $1.4 billion. He earlier served as chair of Berkeley's Department of Mechanical Engineering and led the department to its No. 1 ranking in the National Research Council review of graduate program effectiveness. He received the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Berkeley.
Mote's research field lies in dynamic systems and biomechanics. Internationally recognized for his work on the dynamics of gyroscopic systems and the biomechanics of snow skiing, he has authored and co-authored more than 300 publications, and holds patents in the United States, Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Under Mote's leadership, the University of Maryland attracted record numbers of applicants, significantly raised the academic profile of entering students, tripled the number of students participating in the Education Abroad program, emphasized giving all undergraduates a special educational experience beyond their major, increased research funding more than 150 percent, and enhanced the excellence of the university's faculty. He also focused on making attending the university more accessible and affordable, in part through various financial aid programs, including the Maryland Incentive Awards, the Pathways program, and the Keep Me Maryland fund, and he led the push to close the achievement gap in graduation rates for underrepresented minorities.
Mote also initiated and raised money for the biggest building boom in the university's history, with new buildings and renovations that serve the academic mission, research and student and alumni life. Major projects included the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, Bioscience Research Building, Knight Hall, Tawes Hall, Van Munching Hall, the Xfinity Center and the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, among others. In addition, he created Maryland Day, an annual open house that draws up to 100,000 visitors from the community.
He has held the title of Regents Professor since stepping down from the presidency. Since 2013, he has served as president of the National Academy of Engineering.
