Ohio State restructures research, taps new exec
In one of her first major moves, Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson is reorganizing the university's research enterprise by consolidating several programs and offices and hiring a new executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge enterprise.
The university announced the appointment of “Grace” Jinliu Wang to the newly created role Friday afternoon.
Under Wang's leadership, Ohio State will consolidate its Office of Research, Corporate Engagement and Technology Commercialization offices, the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship and the West Campus Innovation District, the university said in a news release.
Like Johnson, Wang joins Ohio State from the State University of New York system, where she was most recently senior vice chancellor for research and economic development and interim president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. She has more than 20 years of experience in research and economic development and previously worked in roles at the National Science Foundation.
The reorganization of Ohio State's research operations, creation of the new oversight position,and the appointment of someone from Johnson's former university marks one of her first major actions at Ohio State since the appointment of her chief of staff.
The main goal of restructuring Ohio State's research and innovation efforts “is to create a more agile and efficient way of expanding research enterprise” and take breakthroughs from Ohio State research and scholarship to “benefit the communities in which we live,” OSU'S news release said. The restructuring also does away with Ohio State's Office of Strategic Management, an initiative of former president Michael V. Drake. Gail Marsh, who led the office as the university's first chief strategy officer, left Ohio State in September, university officials said.
In addition, Ohio State's Office of Institutional Research, which compiles and publishes university-related data, will now be housed within the Office of Research.
In her new role, Wang will focus on growing key research areas and enabling large-scale research activities that “hold the promise to push disciplinary boundaries and address societal challenges,” Ohio State's news release said. She will help identify and work with key stakeholders, including the state and federal government, industry, nonprofits, and national labs to support the university's research goals. Wang will also help attract and support leading scholars from diverse backgrounds to stimulate innovative research and growth. Johnson said Wang is a "proven executive who will spearhead our efforts to grow the research enterprise."
"Her decades of expertise in leading research initiatives, attracting grant funding, cultivating stakeholder relationships, and empowering researchers and entrepreneurs have had measurable impacts for the communities she served," Johnson said in a written statement. "We are thrilled to welcome her to the Buckeye family."
Wang said she looks forward to working with Johnson and Ohio State faculty, staff and students.
"I am thoroughly impressed by the strengths and capacities in Ohio State's existing research and creative expression, which provide a strong foundation on which to build," Wang said in a written statement. "We have an opportunity to leverage this research to help address some of the most pressing societal challenges and drive economic growth.”
Wang will partner with other university leaders, including Morley Stone, senior vice president for research, to grow the university's research efforts, Ohio State said. She is scheduled to begin her new role Dec. 1. jsmola@dispatch.com @jennsmola