Dr.
Ariel Gomez, vice president for research and graduate studies,
has appointed Roseanne Ford, chemical engineering professor,
as associate vice president for research and graduate studies.
She will be the chief adviser and representative in matters
related to graduate studies.
Ford will promote graduate education across Grounds, acting
as a leader for pan-University graduate student issues,
and ensuring that qualified and diverse graduate students
are attracted to the University.
She will advocate for the fair and equitable support of
these students.
Most graduate student affairs work is now conducted at the
level of schools and departments. This will continue, she
said, but, “My role will be to enhance those efforts
by operating a central office serving as a resource for
graduate students and graduate student issues. We will be
a centralized point of contact.
“I’m enthusiastic about enhancing and facilitating
our graduate student recruitment ... to get the best students
interested in U.Va.,” she said.
“We need to be fully competitive with the top graduate
schools.”
She says she wants to increase financial support, especially
for students interested in interdisciplinary research, and
she will work to bring down barriers that limit research
collaboration between disciplines.
“As a comprehensive University we are in a good position
to attract more bright students who are interested in solving
big-picture problems, working across the disciplines,”
she said.
The past few years she has been involved in two highly
successful training grant programs that support biotechnology
research and work in contaminant hydrogeology. These grants,
from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science
Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, support
programs in the School of Medicine, the College of Arts
& Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied
Science.
Ford will seek additional training grants to support research
fellowships. She also will serve as a contact point with
other universities, responding to inquiries about graduate
student issues at the University and keeping up to date
on issues concerning and affecting state universities.
Ford also will look more closely at job placement and internships
by maintaining a network of contacts in industry and especially
in local and regional enterprises. In addition, she plans
to focus on maintaining and strengthening ties with recent
alumni.
“I am excited that I was able to attract a person
with Roseanne’s expertise and experience to join my
team,” Gomez said. “I look forward to Roseanne
partnering with the school graduate deans, Provost’s
office and faculty to enhance graduate studies activity
at the University.”
Ford joined U.Va.’s faculty in 1989 and has served
the past four years as a member of the Faculty Senate on
the research and scholarship committee. She also has been
associate chair of chemical engineering and twice the department’s
graduate program director. She will continue to teach graduate
and undergraduate students and conduct research half-time,
while fulfilling her role as associate vice president.
“I’m not ready to fully abandon my own teaching
and research,” she said. “But I also want to enhance
these activities for our students and faculty.”
