Robert M. Berdahl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert M. Berdahl
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| Interim President of the University of Oregon | |
| In office 2011–2012 |
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| Preceded by | Richard W. Lariviere |
| Succeeded by | Michael R. Gottfredson |
| 5th President of the Association of American Universities | |
| In office 2006–2011 |
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| Preceded by | Nils Hasselmo |
| Succeeded by | Hunter R. Rawlings III |
| 8th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley | |
| In office 1997–2004 |
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| Preceded by | Chang-Lin Tien |
| Succeeded by | Robert J. Birgeneau |
| 25th President of the University of Texas at Austin | |
| In office 1993–1997 |
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| Preceded by | William S. Livingston |
| Succeeded by | Peter Tyrrell Flawn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 15, 1937 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Augustana College University of Illinois University of Minnesota |
| Profession | Administrator |
Robert Max Berdahl (born March 15, 1937) is a retired American leader. He spent his career helping to run colleges and universities.
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About Robert M. Berdahl
Robert Berdahl was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He went to Augustana College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959. He then studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, getting his Master of Arts degree in 1961. Later, he earned his doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1965. For his doctorate, he wrote a long paper about a political party in Germany around 1870.
Early Career and Teaching
From 1965 to 1967, Berdahl was a history professor at the University of Massachusetts. He then moved to the University of Oregon, where he taught history from 1967 to 1986. While at the University of Oregon, he also became the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. This meant he was in charge of many different subjects, like art, science, and history. He held this role from 1981 to 1986.
After his time at Oregon, Berdahl became the vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He worked in this important leadership role from 1986 to 1993.
Leading Universities
Robert Berdahl became the president of the University of Texas at Austin in 1993. He led this large university until 1997. After that, he became the chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. He was in charge of this famous university from 1997 to 2004.
From 2006 to 2011, he served as the president of the Association of American Universities. This group includes many of the top research universities in the United States and Canada. He also serves on the Board of Directors for a company called Lam Research Corporation.
Interim President at Oregon
In December 2011, the leaders of higher education in Oregon asked Berdahl for help. They wanted him to be the temporary, or interim, president of the University of Oregon. The previous president had left his job early.
During his time as interim president, the university's teachers decided to form a union. A union is a group that helps workers have a stronger voice. Berdahl agreed to let the union be officially recognized. Michael R. Gottfredson took over as president on August 1, 2012.
