Vice President for Research and Innovation

In May of 2023, UCF asked Dr. Winston Schoenfeld to continue serving as its long-term Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation after a national search.

UCF’s Office of Research oversees all aspects of research at UCF, and includes offices that support research development, faculty clusters, sponsored programs, research compliance, contract administration, technology transfer, communications, and research infrastructure. The Vice President for Research and Innovation will serve as a key member of and advisor within the President’s cabinet and university’s leadership team to align research with UCF’s overall academic mission.

View the Announcement

Search Committee

Co-Chairs

Maggy Tomova: Dean, College of Sciences

Mohamed Abdel-Aty

Trustee Chair, Pegasus Professor and Chair, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering

Committee Members

Salvador Almagro-Moreno: Assistant Professor, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences
Shawn Burke: Research Professor and Director, TRACE Lab, Institute for Simulation and Training (IST)
Alison Cares: Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Adrienne Dove: Associate Professor, Department of Physics
Grant Hayes: Dean, College of Community Innovation and Education
Jayanta Kapat: Pegasus Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Director, Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research (CATER)
Luis Martínez-Fernández: Pegasus Professor, Department of History
Cyndia Morales Muñiz: Director, HSI Initiatives, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Janet Owen: Vice President, Government and Community Relations

Terry Mohajir: Vice President and Director of Athletics
Griff Parks: Associate Dean for Research and Director, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences
Ron Piccolo: Interim Vice President, UCF Advancement
Rebeca Richards: Senior Assistant Vice President, Budget and Finance, Academic Affairs
Celeste Rivera-Nuñez: Director, Sponsored Programs, Office of Research
Svetlana Shtrom: Director, Office of Technology Transfer
Sandra Sovinski: Deputy General Counsel for Research
Jeffrey Stout: Pegasus Professor and Founding Director, School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
Damla Turgut: Charles Millican Professor, Department of Computer Science and Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES) Cluster

Search Details

For inquiries or to submit nominations, contact UCF’s Executive Search team at ExecutiveSearch@ucf.edu.

Instructions regarding formal applications via the university’s Workday Enterprise System will be provided to all
confirmed applicants with a preferred application date of November 4, 2022.

Past Meetings

Finalist Open Forum: Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Finalist Open Forum: Thursday, Jan. 19 | 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Finalist Open Forum: Tuesday, Jan. 17 | 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Finalist Open Forum: Thursday, Jan. 12 | 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 18 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 14 | 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 14 | 10-11:30 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 23

More About UCF

UCF is a metropolitan research university located in Orlando, the heart of Central Florida’s world-class hospitality, technology and creative industries. Our reach extends far beyond our four campus locations, from regional campuses that serve 11 Florida counties to our fully online programs.

The diverse faculty and staff at UCF create a welcoming environment and opportunities for our more than 71,000 students to learn, grow and succeed. And through strong partnerships around Central Florida, we’re able to make a difference in our community through collaborating on innovative research and providing top talent that fuels our future.

Explore what makes UCF great

Working in Orlando

Orlando is a dynamic and diverse city that has seen rapid growth and economic expansion in recent years. Plus, the sunshine and warm climate create a perfect environment to live, work and explore. A center for the life sciences, medical innovation and technological developments, The City Beautiful offers boundless possibilities.

Ranked No.1 on Forbes’ hottest metro job markets — and the coolest in 2019, Orlando was also the fastest-growing of the 30 largest regions in the U.S. in 2018. UCF’s newest campus that opened in August 2019 is located downtown and generates opportunity for partnerships and learning engagement in the creative, cultural and economic hub of Orlando.

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