| Lester Gerhardt To Oversee Restructuring of Research Administration
President Jackson has named Lester Gerhardt, associate dean of engineering and professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering and computer science, to a special presidential assignment as assistant vice president for research and financial administration. Gerhardt will oversee the merger and restructure of the Office of Contracts & Grants and Research Financial Administration into one administrative unit serving faculty research support needs.
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| Thomas Griffin |
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“This special assignment is mission critical, given our objective to dramatically grow research, which will entail a broader spectrum of faculty performing research and the establishment of new and more complex research centers,” Jackson said in making the announcement.
Gerhardt will assess current research administrative efforts in the context of Rensselaer Plan objectives, in order to create a seamless process from grant proposal writing to post-award administration, including integration with the financial management structure, overseen by the assistant vice president of financial planning & services, to better serve faculty financial management and reporting needs. He will develop a longer range plan needed to support the revised organizational structure’s objectives. Gerhardt also will chair the search for a permanent leader for the restructured organization.
Gerhardt brings an extensive background in research, industry, and academia to the position. He served as chairman of the Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering (ECSE) Department 1975-1986. In 1986 he was appointed director of Computer Integrated Manufacturing; he also was the founding director of Rensselaer’s Center for Manufacturing Productivity. An active researcher and educator, his areas of interest include pattern recognition and adaptive systems, communications, digital signal processing, computer integrated manufacturing and technology aids for the handicapped. He has numerous publications and keynote presentations and holds four patents. He was awarded the Inventor of the Year Award in New York State in 1997 and is a fellow of the IEE as well as ASEE.
The merged group will be located in West Hall. Gerhardt will maintain his position as associate dean and return to that role full time upon completion of this assignment. While on this assignment, he will report to Virginia Gregg, vice president for finance and Rensselaer’s chief financial officer.
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