Lauren Wilson, who has led initiatives and supported The University of Alabama’s research enterprise for 13 years, has been selected as the assistant vice president for research and technology agreements.
Her appointment is effective Nov. 1.
Wilson will lead responsibilities for compliance with research agreement creation, negotiation, administration and technology transfer activities. The position reports directly to Dr. Russell J. Mumper, vice president for research and economic development. She is charged to proactively facilitate and provide necessary expertise for building positive, successful relationships with local, state, private and public stakeholders through sound, mutually-beneficial agreements.
“This is a vital position joining our office at an important time as we have recently launched strategic plans that jointly articulate UA’s vision for its research and economic development missions,” Mumper said. “Lauren has the necessary experience and vision to facilitate growth of our research endeavors while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.”
In 2018, UA achieved its first listing from the Carnegie Classification as one of the top doctoral research universities in the United States. Total sponsored awards to UA have grown by 85% over the past five years. For the 2019 fiscal year, UA’s total sponsored awards reached nearly $132.5 million, an increase of more than 33% from the previous year. Total sponsored awards include all competitive external funding for research, service, instruction, fellowships and construction.
Wilson joined UA’s research administration in 2006 as senior associate director in the Office for Sponsored Programs where she led the transition to implement the electronic proposal management system, created the research development department, led the internal grants process, created new initiatives for training and educating departmental administrators and led and managed the development of the University-wide Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference. She became director of research administration in 2015, and she recently served as interim director of the Office of Technology Transfer.
Prior to her roles in research administration, Wilson was a civil rights attorney, including eight years as a senior staff attorney for the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program at UA.
She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, National Council of University Research Administrators and the Association of University Technology Managers, among several other professional affiliations.
She is active in service to the University and community through her support and participation with disability advocacy groups as well as University and community theatre, including current roles as a Title IX hearing officer at UA, board president of the Ability Alliance of West Alabama and a member of the Brewer Porch Advisory Council.
Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from UA in 1986 and her law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1989.