Dear Colleagues,
I write to share news of an important personnel transition at our university. Dr. Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, who has led our research enterprise on our Norman campus as Vice President for Research and Partnerships since Fall 2019, has accepted a position at the University of Arizona. His last day at OU will be November 8 before departing for the U of A as its new Senior Vice President of Research, Innovation and Impact.
Although it will be difficult to see him go, Tomás’ leadership has undoubtedly strengthened the University of Oklahoma, leaving us in a better position than ever before. His impact became evident early in his OU tenure, as he was instrumental in the development of our “Lead On, University” Strategic Plan and its emphasis on fostering a thriving research ecosystem. Thanks in large part to Tomás’ tireless dedication, our status as a top-tier public research university continues to climb, with our research enterprise achieving an average 12% annual growth rate over the last four years, making the OU Norman campus the fourth-fastest growing research university in the nation. He has successfully guided strategic collaborations with federal, state, and local partners to leverage OU’s unique strengths for the betterment of our state and society. With Tomás spearheading our research strategy, we have fully embraced our role as Oklahoma’s leading research engine and accelerated our trajectory as a world-changing leader in innovation and collaboration.
Our search for our next Vice President for Research and Partnerships will begin immediately. In the meantime, pending approval by the OU Board of Regents, Dr. Carol Silva will serve as interim. As Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Partnerships, Carol has worked closely alongside Tomás as the office’s principal deputy, playing a pivotal role in driving excellence in research and creative activities across the Norman campus. Before taking on this role in early 2023, she co-directed the Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, was director of the Center for Risk and Crisis Management, and she was the founding Director of OU’s Center for Faculty Excellence. She is the Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor of Political Science in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, and she has served on the OU faculty for the last 17 years. Carol is an experienced, dynamic leader with an extensive record of excellence in research and building successful multidisciplinary programs and convergent teams. We are grateful that she has agreed to lead the OVPRP in an interim capacity during this period of transition.
Please join me in sending our best wishes to Tomás and in congratulating Carol on her interim appointment.
Live On, University,
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
President
