ATHENS, Ga. – Jerry NeSmith has been appointed to direct the University of Georgia Office of Research Services, following the December retirement of E. Lamar Houston. ORS provides cost-effective services to the campus research community.
NeSmith oversees a $7.5 million annual operation that includes eight operating business units that support UGA research and teaching programs. More than half the 74 positions spread throughout OSP are supported by sales-generated revenues. The eight units include:
* Campus Graphics and Photography
* Campus Scientific Stores and Campus Scientific Stores Express
* Central Research Stores
* Chemical Analysis Laboratory
* Glass Shop
* Instrument Shop
* Molecular Genetics Instrumentation Shop, comprised of the Functional Genomics Resource Facility, the Proteomics Resource Facility and the Sequencing and Synthesis Facility
* Telecommunications, Electronics and Computer Services
NeSmith has 30 years of private-sector experience in product development, sales and marketing, working primarily in information technology. He has consulted for Fortune 500 companies on managing their facilities and most recently was employed in IT management at Emory University.
“I am delighted that the university was able to hire someone with Jerry’s background and experience,” said Gordhan L. Patel, the UGA vice president for research and associate provost. “I am confident that he will be a strong asset to the research community.”
Since accepting the position in February, NeSmith has worked with his staff and his colleagues in Dr. Patel’s organization to set goals and strategies for FY2004. “Together we’ve developed a mission statement and goals that support the high-quality research environment associated with a first-class research university,” NeSmith said. “I also will be meeting with various researchers on campus to find out more about the kinds of services they want us to bring online and how we can do a better job with the services we currently offer.”
His short-term goals include updating tools to enhance staff capabilities, improving the menu of services provided to the research community and implementing the new Web-based chemical tracking software, called Chematix. Developed with leadership from NeSmith’s predecessor, Houston, and from Associate Vice President Ken Scott, who heads the Environmental Safety Division, Chematix will enable university personnel to efficiently and conveniently procure and track chemicals, NeSmith said.
“The Web-based tracking system will assure that we are disposing of materials properly and help the university use expensive chemicals more effectively by making surplus chemicals available to other on-campus labs,” he said.
For more information about ORS, please access www.rserv.uga.edu.
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