'U' professor granted Swedish appointment

By Greg Cox
Daily Staff Reporter

The University will work to strengthen ties with Sweden in the coming years, thanks in part to a king's 50th birthday.

SNRE and Business Prof. Garry Brewer was appointed to the King Carl XVI Gustaf Professorship in Environmental Science for the 1998-1999 academic year - a one-year appointment funded with the aid of a monetary gift to the Swedish king on his 50th birthday.

The professorship will allow Brewer to strengthen the University's ties with Sweden through roundtable discussions on the environment involving international experts and leaders in business, government and non-profit organizations.

"I plan to create a better link between U of M and ... Sweden more generally," Brewer said.

More than 50 Swedish universities were asked to nominate a single candidate for the position. The Royal Institute of Technology nominated Brewer, who was subsequently selected to fill the professorship.

Brewer said that his nomination shows Sweden's respect for the University.

"The Swedes saw the University as a university they wanted to be involved with," Brewer said.

While Brewer credited his selection to the University's prestige, political science Prof. Harold Jacobson said Brewer earned the professorship.

"I think it's a great tribute to him and the work he's done over the years," Jacobson said.

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) also said that Brewer is worthy of the award.

"I'm really excited for him," Newman said. "He's a terrific educator and a great professor."

Brewer said the roundtable discussions will not coincide with the University's Environmental Theme Semester.

"The business environment roundtables will take a while to put together," Brewer said. "The environmental semester is great, but what I'm doing with the Swedes is more of a long-term issue, much like the environment itself."

Brewer also said he plans to use the professorship to facilitate the exchange of faculty and students between Sweden and the University. The professorship brought a post-doctoral student from Sweden to Ann Arbor last week.

Brewer will be initiated into his professorship in a formal ceremony at the King's palace in Sweden in November. Brewer said that it won't be the first time that he's been in the presence of royalty.

"I've met him before," Brewer said. "He's very interested in the environment - the Swedes take the environment very seriously."

The professorship was established by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the Confederation of Swedish Industries.

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