Courtesy of rochester.edu
Robert Clark was named senior vice president for research and reappointed as dean of the Hajim School of Engineering on Tuesday, March 5. Clark has served as dean of the Hajim School for one five-year term already, and has been serving as interim vice president for research for the last seven months.
The vice president for research position involves management of online academic initiatives and securing funding for research projects across UR’s disciplines. He will split his time between this position and his position as dean. He will also appoint a staff to help fulfill the two roles.
“The Hajim School has been one of the great successes of this university recently,” President Joel Seligman said while announcing Clark’s reappointment.
In an email following the event, Seligman concluded, “We have an academic leader who has proved himself successful in both roles over the past seven months on an interim basis.”
Board of Trustees Chariman Ed Hajim commended Clark’s work as well, citing Clark’s “prodigious energy” and the role he has played in expanding the engineering program from about 700 to 1,100 students.
Clark has also served as interim senior vice president of research since June.
“[Clark’s] service as dean and interim senior vice president for research has been exemplary,” said Seligman.
Hajim acknowledged the ways in which Clark has partnered with all areas of the University, including the William E. Simon School of Business Administration, UR Communications, and the admissions office, among others.
“Schools of engineering and applied science are a critical part of innovation in the U.S.,” Clark said in an email. “Engineers must also work with faculty from the many diverse domains of our campus to innovate.”
Interaction and collaboration also play a role in his position as senior vice president for research.
“Understanding the breadth of our research portfolio and identifying opportunities to elevate our efforts through collaboration, both internally across schools and externally with the corporate sector, is critical,” Clark explained.
Both Clark and Seligman denied that the dual role was setting any sort of precedent.
“[Clark is] an academic leader who has proved himself successful in both roles,” Seligman said. “This is not a precedent but, each appointment is made on its individual merits.”
Remus is a member of the class of 2016.
