Finalists for new VP for Research and Economic Development to Visit Campus

A curved, purple sign with the heading Division of Research displays images and graphics depicting different fields of study

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 8, 2021) — Four finalists for the next vice president for research and economic development will visit campus next week to meet with the search committee, University leadership and the campus community. A series of four open forums are scheduled, and students, faculty and staff are invited to attend and share their opinions of all four.

The chosen candidate will succeed James Dias, who is retiring after serving 12 years as vice president for research.

Each of the finalists will be participating in a Campus Conversation, entitled “Vision for Research in a Modern Public University: Challenges and Opportunities.” During this conversation, finalists will discuss opportunities for UAlbany research over the next decade, what it means to be an R1 university, how to solidify and bolster UAlbany’s R1 classification, and the impact of UAlbany research on economic development in the region.  

Each candidate’s application materials and interview schedule will be posted on the MyUAlbany portal under “Announcements” one business day prior to the candidate’s visit to campus. All Campus Conversations will last one hour and be held in the Recital Hall of the Performing Arts Center, and are available for viewing via a Zoom webinar.

The schedule for the visits is:

  • Finalist 1: Monday, July 12, 10 a.m.
  • Finalist 2: Tuesday, July 13, 11:30 a.m.  
  • Finalist 3: Thursday, July 15, 10:30 a.m.  
  • Finalist 4: Friday, July 16, 2:30 p.m.

All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to participate in the Campus Conversations, where each finalist will speak for 25-30 minutes, followed by a Q&A session for 30-35 minutes.

These sessions will provide an essential opportunity to assess the finalists’ ability to successfully lead and advance UAlbany’s research enterprise in the years ahead. Campus community engagement during this phase of the search is imperative, and feedback provided through the electronic survey issued after each Campus Conversation will assist the University in identifying the best candidate for this critical role.

Register to attend in person or via Zoom. Recordings of the Campus Conversations will be available for viewing on the MyUAlbany portal until one day after the last finalist’s campus visit.

The search committee, led by co-chairs Jeanette Altarriba, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Erin Bell, professor of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, is comprised of a distinguished and diverse group of UAlbany faculty and administrators.  Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm, has been assisting the committee in the national search

The University expects to complete the search and appoint the new vice president by the start of the Fall 2021 semester.