A native of Akron, Ohio, Jack Kingsinger started his career fresh out of high school as a navigator in the Air Force toward the end of World War II. When the war ended, he pursued a double major Bachelors degree in Chemistry and Mathematics at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. He then went on to get a Masters degree in Chemistry from Cornell University. While working in private industry, he took advantage of the education benefits offered by the company he was working at and worked at getting his PhD in Chemistry from Penn. Academia was calling him, so he joined the faculty in the Chemistry Department at Michigan State. He later became the Chair of the department before leaving to become the Director of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation. He returned to Michigan State as the Assistant VP of Research which led to becoming the Associate Provost.
His journey to Arizona State University was actually initiated on a trip he made to visit the Chemistry Department as part of his role with the NSF. He was very impressed with the campus and when the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs opened up, he was quick to pursue it. He was hired by then President J. Russell Nelson and worked on many initiatives until his retirement.
Details
- Kingsinger, Jack
- Humphrey, Ted (Interviewer)
- Arizona State University Retirees Association (Producer)
- Linda Van Scoy, Editor; Roger Carter, Audio; John McIntosh, Video; David Scheatzle, Director; Linda Van Scoy. Chair Video History Project.
1. Introduction @ 00:00:43 2. Military Career @ 00:01:10 3. Education and work at the NSF @ 00:01:35 4. Return to Michigan State @ 00:06:30 5. Journey to ASU @ 00:07:10 6. Arrival at ASU @ 00:08:06 a. Why a VP and not a Provost @ 00:08:49 7. Reasons for his appointment @ 00:10:36 8. Working with President Nelson @ 00:12:04 a. Expectations President Nelson had for him @ 00:13:28 9. West Campus @ 00:14:50 10. Introduction of technology to the faculty @ 00:16:00 a. Getting PC’s into the Humanities @ 00:17:00 11. Challenges he faced early on @ 00:20:00 a. Promotion and tenure @ 00:20:14 b. Diversity @ 00:21:00 12. Community College interactions @ 00:24:10 13. Departments of Excellence @ 00:25:45 a. Strong chairman makes a strong department @ 00:26:50 b. Strong departments at ASU @ 00:28:50 14. Great Universities in the US @ 00:30:10 15. ASU as an emerging great university @ 00:31:58 a. ASU Research Park development and impact to ASU @ 00:32:43 b. Intellectual density @ 00:33:56 16. Role as VP of Academic Affairs @ 00:35:45 a. Working with the Deans @ 00:36:10 b. Improved appointments of faculty @ 00:37:30 17. Working with the Board of Regents @ 00:38:20 18. Working with the Legislature and politics of Arizona @ 00:39:09 19. Outstanding people at ASU that he worked with @ 00:41:45 20. Achievements @ 00:43:28 a. Regents Professor Program @ 00:43:35 b. Patent compensation @ 00:44:00 c. Other accomplishments @ 00:44:45 21. Student/Professor Interactions @ 00:45:00 a. Students of today @ 00:46:00 22. Retirement @ 00:46:40
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Kingsinger, Jack. Interview. 04 Dec. 2009. ASURA Video History Project. © Arizona Board of Regents. https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.56034