Eric J. Barron, former president of Penn State and a distinguished Earth systems scientist, recently returned to the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science to receive the Centennial Medal. The visit was both a homecoming and a moment of reflection for Barron, who earned his master's degree in marine science from the University in 1976, followed by his Ph.D. in oceanography in 1980.
The Centennial Medal, awarded as part of the University’s Centennial celebrations, recognizes alumni whose careers exemplify innovation, impact, and leadership. Barron, who once served as a faculty member at the Rosenstiel School and went on to create and direct the Earth System Science Center at Penn State, embodies those very qualities.
Barron described receiving the prestigious medal as deeply meaningful. “It’s very humbling. I’m very honored,” he said. “It was a wonderful moment to be back and to be recognized in this way.”
His return to the University also hit him with a wave of nostalgia.
“Spending 12 years as a university president, you’re always on. You’re constantly moving,” Barron said. “So, to actually have a moment to walk through my old office—now with new paint—and to reconnect with the place where I got my start, it was emotional. It reminded me just how formative that experience really was.”
After earning his doctorate, Barron went on to build a distinguished career as a geoscientist, educator, and higher education leader. He served as president of both Florida State University and Penn State University. But long before he became “President Barron,” he was a graduate student who loved the lab, taught classes on Saturday mornings, and once, somewhat ironically, was voted “most likely to become a university president” by his peers.
“I thought they were nuts,” Barron said. “I was a lab rat; I wanted to sit in my office and work. But they saw something I didn’t. And, well, here we are.”
Barron’s enduring passion for discovery and cross-disciplinary collaboration took root during his time at Rosenstiel. He was mentored by faculty like professor William Hay and C.G.A. Harrison—his two most influential mentors—and immersed in a culture that valued the integration of different fields of study. He recalls how faculty who specialized in geology, meteorology, and physical oceanography worked side by side, creating an intellectual synergy that made Rosenstiel a uniquely exciting place to learn and grow.
“One of the biggest lessons I took from my time at Miami was how powerful it is when you bring together people from different disciplines,” Barron said. “That’s what inspired me to create the Earth System Science Center at Penn State—an institute that focused on hiring faculty who sat between traditional disciplines and asked big, bold questions.”
That investment paid off. Several of the faculty Barron recruited during that early initiative later became members of the National Academy of Sciences.
Later in his presidential career, Barron applied that same interdisciplinary mindset to entrepreneurship. He noticed that many of his most successful alumni were self-made: graduates from a cross-section of majors who launched innovative businesses. “I asked myself: Are we helping students get there? Or are we just teaching them their major and hoping for the best?”
In response, Barron launched robust entrepreneurship ecosystems at Florida State and Penn State. At Penn State, his vision expanded into “LaunchBoxes”—innovation hubs that offered free legal aid, seed funding, mentorship, and hands-on courses to students and community members alike. Eventually, the university built 21 LaunchBoxes across Pennsylvania.
“These were places where a nursing student could partner with an IT student and a business major to create a startup that helps parents with newborns,” Barron explained. “It was all about giving students a new door—a new way to apply their skills.”
Now retired, Barron is enjoying the chance to reflect. His advice to students? Don’t treat your education like a checklist.
“Getting a college degree is like buying a sports car. Don’t drive it five miles an hour,” he said. “You’ve paid for this incredible experience—put it through its paces. Take every opportunity. Join clubs. Explore classes. Collaborate. This is your chance to do something extraordinary.”
His words echo the philosophy that has defined his career—from his early days at the University of Miami to his leadership at the helm of major public institutions: invest in innovation, embrace collaboration, and always keep pushing forward.
