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UNM’s administration is looking for a higher-up to bring major changes in the research environment at the University.
The first candidate in the search for UNM’s new vice president for research and economic development spoke Monday in an open forum in the SUB Ballroom A at 2 p.m. Vishwanath Prasad is the first of four candidates; the other three will each speak at a similar forum in the coming weeks.
UNM has been without a permanent vice president for research and economic development since June when then-Vice President Julia Fulghum stepped down.
An interim vice president, John T. McGraw, has served while the search for a permanent replacement continues.
The search has been underway since Oct. 31 according to the Office of Research & Economic Development’s web site, and the four finalists were selected after a nationwide search.
Prasad is a professor of mechanical and energy engineering at the University of North Texas. He served as that university’s vice president for research and development from 2007 to 2012. He has worked as professor at Columbia University, the associate dean of engineering at SUNY-Stony Brook and the dean of engineering and executive dean of engineering and computing at Florida International University.
Regarding research, Prasad said UNM should capitalize on its strengths, such as its ties to Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, and revamp its approach to collaboration to expand its efforts to other institutions around the region.
Prasad said this entails UNM offering to share its facilities in exchange for using collaborators’ facilities, even without a specific research project in mind.
“(The University) will be successful only if you take an integrated approach and address all of their needs as well as yours regarding collaboration,” he said.
Prasad also emphasized how important faculty is to the research mission of the University and that they should be adequately compensated and rewarded for their achievements.
“(The University) could do that with awards, raises, early promotions, those types of incentives,” he said.
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UNM’s faculty salaries lag behind those of its peer institutions for full professors, associate professors and assistant professors. On average, faculty salaries at UNM are $7,000-$21,000 less than those of comparable public research universities.
After Prasad’s speech, he responded to questions from faculty and staff.
Richard Wood, a professor in the sociology department, was concerned the University and its students’ reputation may suffer if UNM increases ties with institutions known to have a national security agenda, such as the national laboratories. For example, it could hurt anthropology or history students seeking to intern or study abroad, as their majors require cultural openness, he said.
Prasad said that such ties would help students in such majors which normally lack “hands-on” internships and fellowships.
“These connections would allow students to get an internship or a fellowship, which they could build off of for deeper connections and other opportunities,” he said.
Prasad said he had several ideas in mind to foster international research and collaboration between international institutions. For instance, encouraging study abroad opportunities for undergraduates, fellowships abroad for graduate students, joint advising for students studying or interning aboard and joint academic proposals and research between faculty in different countries.
“You may not have what they have, they may not have what you have, whether regarding people, equipment or ideas,” Prasad said. “Such comprehensive exchanges can really help both institutions greatly.”
The next three candidates will have open forums to be held over the next three weeks. Faculty, staff and students are all invited to attend.
