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Robert Dynes is chancellor of UCSD.

Had he followed his original passion, Robert Dynes could be a retired hockey player with a crooked nose and missing teeth.

Instead, Dynes, chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, will take office Thursday as the 18th president of the UC system.

“I am elated by the prospect of taking the helm of the premiere university in the world, a place where the very best come to study, to work and to learn,” Dynes said when he was selected as the president-elect in June.

Dynes, 60, came to California and UCSD in 1991 as a professor of physics before making his way up the ranks, first as chair of his department, then as vice chancellor, and finally as chancellor in 1996.

Now, as he climbs the highest rung on the UC ladder, he faces a variety of pressing issues – the most important being the state budget crisis – which could jeopardize the university’s commitment to serve the public of California.

A first-generation college student and an avid hockey player, Dynes immigrated from Canada with a Ph.D. in physics from McMaster University in Ontario.

He was hired by AT&T Bell Laboratories, and in 22 years, he made his way up to director of chemical physics research before heading to UCSD.

Henry Abarbanel, a friend and colleague of Dynes in the university’s physics department, said Dynes’ focus on undergraduates was one of the special things about his term as chancellor.

A long-time runner, Dynes headlined a “Chancellor’s Challenge” 5K run every spring quarter during his chancellorship. For the event, he ran through campus with students to raise money for scholarships.

“It’s not that usual to have a chancellor really care about the undergraduates,” Abarbanel said.

Dynes’ list of accomplishments during his tenure at UCSD is impressive, showcasing his influence on many aspects of campus life.

One of the major themes of his chancellorship was growth: In his seven years, student enrollment grew 25 percent, research expenditures were up 36 percent, and a new pharmacy school and school of management opened.

Dynes also began a fundraising campaign to raise $1 billion for academic programs and scholarships, and is almost half way to that goal.

His tenure was not without some controversy, as some criticized Dynes for providing more money to the sciences because of a bias stemming from his background in physics.

But UCSD history professor Michael Bernstein refutes this criticism, saying the tangible nature of medicine and the sciences tends to get them greater attention from donors.

“I think it’s unfair to suggest Bob was somehow responsible for what some people see as this imbalance,” Bernstein said. “It’s really a legacy that landed on his desk.”

Bernstein added that San Diego has always been “musclebound in science and engineering,” dating back to its origins as an oceanography institute.

Dynes is also familiar with the UC’s national laboratories, having served as vice chair of the UC President’s Council on the National Laboratories.

Despite his high profile in the UC community, Dynes still manages to stay down to earth, said Abarbanel, referring to a statement Dynes made when he became chancellor.

“He said, ‘I want you to know my name is Bob Dynes,’” Abarbanel quoted.

“‘Just call me Bob.’”

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