The role of the humanities and social sciences is more crucial than ever in this globalized world, Jack Burns, a candidate for provost of Kansas University, said Thursday.

In a presentation inspired by Thomas Friedman’s latest book, “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century,” Burns said KU can contribute by preparing students in the humanities, supporting diversity and engaging in interdisciplinary work.

“Diversity is, in my mind, an absolute economic necessity,” he said.

Burns is vice president for academic affairs and research for the four-campus, 52,000-student University of Colorado System.

He is the second candidate to visit KU for the position of provost and executive vice chancellor, currently held by David Shulenburger, who is stepping down later this year.

A Massachusetts native, Burns received a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from the University of Massachusetts, and master’s and doctoral degrees in astronomy from Indiana University.

He has worked at the University of Colorado System since 2002. He said his accomplishments include:

¢Transforming the system’s technology transfer program into an office for faculty innovation and corporate partnerships. It generated nearly $100 million in revenue in the past 18 months, he said.

¢Lobbying state and federal officials for CU priorities, including $202 million in state bonds and more than $50 million in federal funds for the construction of a $2.5 billion health sciences campus.

Burns said the university must work with public schools to make sure students are prepared for college and to encourage diversity in many fields.

• 6News video: KU continues search for new Provost

He said interdisciplinary study is what leads to research breakthroughs, and this, too, is key to competing in a globalized world.

When asked about his leadership style, Burns said leadership requires team-building.

“At the core, it is about people first and strategy second,” he said.

Before his work in Colorado, Burns was vice provost for research at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1997 to 2001.

He also worked at New Mexico State University from 1989 to 1997, in various positions, including head of the department of astronomy and associate dean of the college of arts and sciences.

He has served as chairman of the National Forum for System Chief Academic Officers, was a National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges Council on Academic Affairs executive committee member and in other posts.

A fellow of the American Physical Society, his research focuses on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology, supercomputer numerical simulations and the design of observatories in space and on the moon.

He has published more than 200 articles and obtained more than $4 million in grants, mainly from the National Science Foundation and NASA.

Virginia Sapiro, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was the first candidate to visit campus.

The next is Richard Lariviere, who works at the University of Texas at Austin as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and as the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker chair in the humanities. He also is a fellow in the IC2 Institute, a research center.

Lariviere will give a public presentation at 4 p.m. Monday at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The fourth and final candidate will be announced Monday and will visit campus Feb. 8 to 10. A fifth finalist has withdrawn from consideration.