The Office of Research (OoR) has revamped and strengthened its leadership team with the hiring of two new associate vice presidents and the creation of a new assistant vice president role in the Office of Research Integrity and Safety (ORIS).
Jessica Muilenburg, professor and assistant dean in the College of Public Health, has been named associate vice president for faculty affairs and campus engagement, overseeing functions related to research personnel development and recognition; Nate Nibbelink, professor and associate dean for research in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, has been named associate vice president for strategic research growth, overseeing functions related to research funding and support of team research activities; and Lisa Kelly, formerly director of learning management system administration in University Human Resources (UHR), has been appointed as assistant vice president for research integrity and safety.
Kelly started in her new position on Dec. 1, while Muilenburg’s and Nibbelink’s appointments were effective Jan. 1.
“Recent departures of Office of Research senior leaders provided us an opportunity to realign our functions into a more consistent and logical structure, as well as add new talent to help manage an ever-increasing portfolio of compliance and oversight obligations,” said Chris King, interim vice president for research. “I’m thrilled that Drs. Muilenburg and Nibbelink will be adding their acumen to our senior leadership team, and I’m also excited to bring Dr. Kelly back to ORIS after her excellent work in UHR over the past few years.”
Muilenburg’s portfolio will include the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, research honors (including UGA’s annual Research Awards), visiting researchers and scholars, and a renewed emphasis on campus engagement. She succeeds Shelley Hooks, who left UGA last summer to become vice chancellor for research at the University of Kansas.
“I am most excited about connecting people and research ideas across campus,” Muilenburg said of her new role. “We have a wealth of expertise here at UGA, and an opportunity to increase research innovation and move science forward for the communities we work with. I want to build on the relationships I have formed with multiple units across the university to strategically build connections that will not only expand our research portfolio at UGA, but also generate opportunities for creativity and originality in external awards, honors and professional development.”
Nibbelink’s responsibilities include Integrative Team Initiatives, the Office for Proposal Enhancement (which is being renamed the Office of Strategic Research Development), faculty seed grants, and limited submissions. He succeeds Larry Hornak, who retired from UGA on Sept. 30.
“My first priority is to listen and learn from the diverse programs across campus to better understand their unique needs and opportunities. By prioritizing communication with faculty and research leaders, I aim to identify areas where we can most effectively grow research potential and align initiatives with the university’s broader strategic goals,” Nibbelink said. “In particular, UGA’s many research centers and institutes provide faculty with diverse interdisciplinary communities that help grow their research programs and have the greatest impact. I’m eager to work with center and institute leaders to help maximize their success and grow research capacity and impact at UGA.”
Kelly’s new position was created as ORIS’ compliance responsibilities continued to expand in recent years. She will manage the Research Occupational Health and Safety Program, Quality Assurance Unit, the Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act office, and ORIS Support Services.
“I am excited to return to research in this new role as assistant vice president for research integrity and safety. Through engagement and partnership with university stakeholders, I am confident that my team can support the world-changing mission of UGA research, while ensuring the safety of our investigators, the integrity of our studies, and the responsiveness necessary to facilitate compliance expectations,” Kelly said. “From data clarity to navigational assistance to the provision of top-notch employee health services, and more, my team will strive to assist and support our vital research mission.”
“I am inspired by the fact that such talented faculty have agreed to serve in these crucial roles in the Office of Research, and I’m grateful to the AVP search committee and its chair, Vice Provost Jeanette Taylor, for their excellent work,” King said. “We now have a fully staffed leadership team, and I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work with all of them in my interim capacity, not just to support UGA’s research community but to help it thrive.”
