The final report from UAB’s engagement with Huron Consulting and Urban Impact Advisors recommended forming six working groups to enable the goals of the Research Strategic Initiative: Growth with Purpose. In collaboration with the UAB deans and the chair of the Faculty Senate, the Executive Steering Committee has identified two co-chairs to lead each Working Group:
- Working Group 1: Optimize Research-Related Processes
- Co-chairs: Jason Nichols, O.D., Ph.D., senior associate vice dean for Research, Office of Research; Victor Darley-Usmar, Ph.D., senior associate dean for Research Compliance and Administration, Heersink School of Medicine
- Working Group 2: Research Technology
- Co-chairs: Brian Rivers, associate vice president and Chief Technical Officer, UAB IT; Michael Matthews, executive director for Research Technology and Communications, Office of Research
- Working Group 3: Enhance Research Data Management & Structure
- Co-chairs: Ralph Zottola, Ph.D., assistant vice president for Research Computing, UAB IT; Suzanne Judd, Ph.D., director of the UAB Lister Hill Center for Health Policy
- Working Group 4: Employment Destination
- Co-chairs: Janet May, UAB Chief Human Resources Officer; Michelle Robinson, DMD, senior vice provost for Faculty Affairs, Office of the Provost
- Working Group 5: Augment and Elevate the Research Administration Workforce
- Co-chairs: David Kimberlin, M.D., co-director, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics; Virginia Hedberg, associate vice president for Research and executive director of Sponsored Programs, Office of Research
- Working Group 6: Optimize & Enhance Facilities
- Co-chairs: David Schwebel, Ph.D., associate vice president for Research Facilities and Infrastructure, Office of Research; Greg Parsons, UAB Chief Facilities Officer
Applications from faculty and staff members with experience and expertise in the areas above, as well as nominations from the Executive Steering Committee, Deans, and Co-Chairs, were considered. A full list of members is available here.
Sixty-four members of the university community are members of the working groups, of which more than 50 percent have faculty appointments. All schools and colleges are represented in the working groups, as are different divisions and departments on campus, such as Financial Affairs, Facilities, HSIS, the Office of the Provost, Human Resources, Compliance, CCTS and the Office of Research.
Governance structure
As a reminder, the governance structure for the Research Strategic Initiative: Growth with Purpose is designed to provide a framework for the implementation phase of the initiative.
Executive Steering Committee
The ESC, under the leadership of President Ray Watts and Vice President Chris Brown, focuses on identified strategic research initiatives and their implementation and addresses opportunities and challenges that may arise during the implementation process.
- Ray L. Watts, M.D., President (Chair)
- Chris Brown, Ph.D., Vice President for Research (Vice Chair)
- Anupam Agarwal, M.D., Senior Vice President and Dean of the Heersink School of Medicine
- Jim Bakken, Chief Communications Officer
- Tom Brannan, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives
- Dawn Bulgarella, Chief Executive Officer, UAB Health System
- Brian Burnett, Vice President for Finance and Administration
- Josh Carpenter, Ph.D., President, Southern Research
- Curt Carver, Ph.D., Vice President for Information Technology and UAB Chief Information Officer
- John Daniel, J.D., Chief University Counsel and Deputy General Counsel for the University of Alabama System
- Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs
The ESC is supported by the six working groups, the Dean’s Council and the Project Director of Strategic Initiatives Chandni Khadka within the Office of the President.
The Dean’s Councils serve in an advisory capacity to the ESC and work on aligning their college/school/unit-level strategic plans with measurable actions to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Research Strategic Initiative: Growth with Purpose. These goals are:
- Strengthen faculty retention, recruitment and development
- Enrich research experiences for students and trainees
- Accelerate innovation impact
- Improve the health of our community
- Expand interdisciplinary research
