Skip to main content

Search Committee Named for New Vice President for Research & Innovation

Provost Sally Kornbluth and Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. A. Eugene Washington have named a 20-person committee to conduct the search for Duke’s next Vice President for Research and Innovation, succeeding Lawrence Carin, who became provost of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia in February 2021.

The search committee will be chaired by Joseph Izatt, Michael J. Fitzpatrick Distinguished Professor of Engineering in the Pratt School.

R. Sanders “Sandy” Williams will continue to serve as Interim Vice President until a new Vice President is selected.

Carin was the first to hold the vice president role, expanded from the Vice Provost for Research role in 2019. The role is responsible for overseeing a wide range of services and activities, including formulation of research policy, compliance, scientific integrity, government agency interactions, the Office of Licensing and Ventures and coordination of research across the institution.

The search committee members are:

  • Joseph Izatt, Michael J. Fitzpatrick Distinguished Professor, Pratt School of Engineering (Chair)
  • Hashim Al-Hashimi, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry
  • L. Ebony Boulware, Eleanor Easley Distinguished Professor and Vice Dean for Translational Services, School of Medicine
  • L. Catherine Brinson, Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, and Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor, Pratt School of Engineering
  • Nicolas Cassar, Professor of Biogeochemistry and Sr. Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Programs, Nicholas School of the Environment
  • Felipe De Brigard, Fuchsberg-Levine Family Associate Professor, Philosophy
  • Tracy Futhey, Chief Information Officer and Vice President for Information Technology
  • Leigh Goller, Chief Audit, Risk and Compliance Officer
  • William Hawkins, Vice Chair, Duke Board of Trustees
  • Stacy M. Horner, Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
  • Scott Huettel, Chair and Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Deborah Jenson, Professor of Romance Studies
  • Sonke Johnsen, Professor of Biology
  • Paul Magwene, Associate Professor of Biology
  • Edmund Malesky, Professor of Political Science
  • Andrew J. Muir, Professor of Medicine
  • Susanna Naggie, Associate Professor of Medicine
  • Michael Pencina, Vice Dean for Data Science and Information Technology and Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, School of Medicine
  • John Rawls, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
  • Jenny Tung, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology

Karen Kennea, Executive Assistant in the Office of Duke Kunshan University Relations, will staff the search.  Executive search firm Spencer Stuart will assist the committee.

Members of the Duke community can submit nominations for and comments about the position via the search e-mail address: DukeVPRI@SpencerStuart.com. All submitted information will be confidential.