Michael McQuade will become vice-president for research at Carnegie Mellon in January 2019 after six years as a trustee for the university.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) appointed one of its trustees, Michael McQuade (pictured), to the newly-created position of vice-president for research yesterday. McQuade will report directly to Farnam Jahanian, president of CMU, when he starts the job in January 2019. The role is analogous to the former position of vice-provost for research previously held by Gary Fedder, who stood down to focus on academic and managerial appointments in CMU’s College of Engineering, Robotics Institute and Manufacturing Futures Initiative. McQuade will look to boost CMU’s research, creativity and entrepreneurship by providing global thought leadership and central research administration while also fostering a culture of ethical research and compliance. His authority covers CMU’s tech transfer office, Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation, as well as the departments for research compliance, sponsored programs, and research systems and operations. The position involves promoting economic development through tech transfer and entrepreneurship, developing external research partnerships and helping to join up university-wide research initiatives. McQuade is an alumnus of CMU’s Mellon College of Science, having spent nine years at the university from 1973 until 1982 which culminated with a PhD in physics. He has been a CMU trustee for the past six years, serving as a member of the university’s subcommittee for research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Until March 2018, McQuade was senior vice-president for science and technology at diversified engineering group United Technologies, providing strategic oversight and direction on matters of research, engineering and development. McQuade also previously held senior roles in tech development and business leadership at industrial conglomerate 3M, data storage technology provider Imation and imaging products company Eastman Kodak. He offers guidance to the US government in his current role on the Defense Innovation Board, which advises the US Secretary of Defense on technological innovation. McQuade stood down from the Secretary of Energy’s advisory board and the President’s Council of Advisors and Technology in 2017. He said: “I am excited to join Carnegie Mellon to lead and support the extraordinary research enterprise of this world-class university.  “I look forward to working closely with our faculty, researchers, staff and students to build on the university’s strong foundation of success, as evidenced by the many CMU technologies, discoveries and advancements that are revolutionising industries and making a positive impact on society.” – Image courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University

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