Faculty Hiring for Leveraged Research Excellence Program

Dear colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the outcome of the Faculty Hiring for Leveraged Research Excellence Program. The goal of this endeavor was to catalyze and enable the addition of new faculty members whose expertise, background and research directions are synergistic with UCI’s centers and institutes, thereby leveraging substantial previous investments made by the university.

We received 21 excellent, creative, wide-ranging proposals. There was a two-stage review process. The first-stage review was conducted by a committee of deans (or their designates) and two members recommended by the Academic Senate. A panel of vice provosts and Academic Senate representatives carried out the second stage of review. Final decisions were made by Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor Enrique Lavernia and me.

I am pleased to report that seven proposals were selected for full or partial funding.

1. Advanced Power & Energy Program: two positions in mechanical & aerospace engineering and/or chemical engineering & materials science
2. Data Science Initiative: three positions in the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences
3. Education Center for Research on Teacher Development & Professional Practice: one position in the School of Education
4. Facility for Imaging & Brain Research: one position each in neurobiology & behavior and cognitive sciences
5. Institute for Memory Impairments & Neurological Disorders: one position each in neurobiology & behavior and psychology & social behavior
6. Institute for Software Research and Cybersecurity Policy & Research Institute: two cybersecurity positions in the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences
7. Irvine Materials Research Institute: one position each in the biological sciences, engineering and physical sciences schools

Searches will be conducted in a collaborative manner involving faculty, center/institute directors, department chairs and deans over the next several months.

I would like to thank those who submitted proposals and helped with the review process. And I would like to thank in advance those who will work on the recruiting activities leading to the hiring of excellent new additions to our faculty.

Comments and questions are welcome as we reflect on the entire program. Please email these to pramod.khargonekar@uci.edu.

Sincerely,

Pramod Khargonekar, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research
Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science