(April 23, 2018) -- Leveraging best practices from research-intensive universities across the country, the newly-created UTSA Office of the Vice President for Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise (VPREDKE), has created its first Research External Advisory Council (REAC). The group, comprised of accomplished professionals in their fields – industry, military, nonprofit, cybersecurity, biosciences, and research institutions, both locally and nationally – met on Friday, April 20 on campus to kick off an exploration of UTSA’s research enterprise, find new avenues to expand research funding and partnerships, and raise our profile beyond the region.
The VPREDKE executive team will present the structure and activities of the offices that comprise the new division: Michelle Stevenson, Research Integrity; Beth Manning, Research Operations and Finance; Jaclyn Shaw, Research Support; Christine Burke, Commercialization and Innovation; and Robert McKinley, Institute for Economic Development (IED). Key research strategic initiatives, such as the National Security Collaboration Center, NRUF and Carnegie Classification, will be discussed and the day will conclude with campus and research laboratory tours.
“We carefully selected council members who could not only assess our research enterprise objectively, but who could also bring new approaches beyond the academic perspective we possess. The REAC will evaluate our programs and output, and in the coming year, advise us on ways to best expand our research, relationships and funding dollars, particularly as we align our operations with the Institute of Economic Development, given our new structure. Collectively, we will define the knowledge enterprise at UTSA and how best to engage to benefit our students, faculty, staff and partners,” explained Bernard Arulanandam, Jane and Roland Blumberg Professor in Biosciences and interim vice president for research, economic development and knowledge enterprise.
The members of the UTSA Research External Advisory Council are:
Yvonne K. Addison, PMP
Program Manager, StandardAero
Gregory Neal Akers
Senior Vice President of Advanced Security Initiatives, Cisco
Walt Downing, P.E.
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Southwest Research Institute
Yvonne Fernandez
Vice President of Commercial Operations, Security Service Federal Credit Union
Renee Forney
Sr. Director of Cyber Assurance, Capital One
Andrea Giuffrida, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Martin J. Landon
CEO, BioBridge Global
Lieutenant General James Kevin McLaughlin
Former 24th AF Commander/ Deputy Commander for USCYPERCOMM (retired)
Jim Reed
President, San Antonio Medical Foundation
Richard Perez
President and CEO, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
GP Singh, Ph.D.
Vice Chairman, Santikos
Joanne Turner, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research, Texas Biomedical Research Institute
James J. Valdes, Ph.D.
Principal CB Defense Engineer/ Defense Technology Directorate, MITRE Corporation
UTSA’s total research expenditures increased from US $56.8 million in FY 2016 to US $68.1 million in FY 2017, an increase of 19.9 percent. The university’s restricted research expenditures grew from US $36.4 million in FY 2016 to US $40.1 million in FY 2017. UTSA is ranked among the top four universities in the nation under 50 years old, according to Times Higher Education.
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Each fall and spring semester, students convene at the Main Campus at UTSA with booths, ideas and prototypes. A crowd of judges, local organizations, students, faculty and sponsors walk around and talk to the students about their projects and ask questions. Students get the real-life experience of "pitching" their project with hopes of getting funding or support to move to the next level.
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AlamodomeThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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