Provost and Senior Vice President Patrick Phillips announced he is conducting an open, national search for the University of Oregon’s next vice president of research and innovation.

Last fall, David Conover announced that he would be retiring from his role as vice president for research and innovation at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation supports the university’s research centers, encourages innovation and economic development, and helps identify ways to support research efforts across campus.

The office also oversees and coordinates the UO’s research proposal submissions, compliance and contract and grant administration.

Phillips selected a committee made up of UO research and innovation stakeholders to assist in the search. The chair of the search committee is Darren Johnson, the director of UO’s Materials Science Institute.

Also, the UO has hired the executive recruiting firm Isaacson Miller to run the search. The goal is to have the position filled by July.

“The vice president of research and innovation is a very key component of our university as we continue the work necessary to build on our standing as a top-tier research institution,” Phillips said. “This search, and the person we hire into this role, will help us strengthen our research efforts and how we conduct our scholarly, scientific and creative endeavors at the UO.”

Once the search committee and Phillips determine finalists for the position, plans call for those selected candidates to come to the university and participate in public events where they can meet stakeholders from campus.

For more information on the search, visit the provost’s website.