APLU Council on Research Names Eighth Cohort of Research Leader Fellows

The APLU Council on Research (COR) has named eight research leaders to its eighth cohort of COR Research Leader Fellows. APLU’s Council on Research, which is comprised of senior research officers at the nation’s public research universities, created the fellowship to enable individuals who are new vice presidents, vice chancellors, or vice provosts for research, or aspiring to these positions, to develop critical new knowledge and skills. The newly selected fellows, who join seven previous cohorts, were chosen in May and will be formally introduced at the 2025 Joint COR-CGA Summer Meeting in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, taking place in late July.

“Professional development for emerging research leaders is a necessary and essential investment into the future of our nation’s universities,” said Irem Tumer, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Oregon State University and Chair of COR. “The COR Fellows program is designed specifically to provide the knowledge and experience for our future leaders to help deliver on this mission and grow our global leadership in research and innovation.”

The COR Research Leader Fellowship helps rising research leaders develop expertise in areas outside of their current research-related responsibilities. Because many universities have segmented research support organizations, rising research leaders often oversee relatively confined areas such as research administration, research development, research compliance, research communication, economic development, or sponsored programs. The fellowship allows these research leaders to gain expertise outside of their respective portfolios and fosters connections with COR’s extensive network of senior research officers through site visits and participation in COR meetings. The fellowship lasts 12 months.

“Congratulations to the 2025 COR Fellows. APLU is proud to continue supporting the development of future senior research leaders,” said Debbie Altenburg, Vice President for Research Policy and Advocacy. “We are excited to welcome this new cohort of Fellows as they expand their experience and skills to support the research at our nation’s public universities, research that is essential to our national health, economic prosperity, and national security.”

The 2025 COR Research Leader Fellows are:

• Sheri Anderson, Associate Vice President for Strategic Research Initiatives, North Dakota State University.
• Cynthia Czajkowski, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• M. Omar Faison, Vice Provost for Research & Economic Development and Chief Research Officer, Virginia State University.
• Sharareh (Sherri) Kermanshachi, Vice Chancellor for Research and Outreach, Pennsylvania State University/ Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg.
• Nina Maung-Gaona, Senior Associate Vice President for Research, Stony Brook University.
• Jennifer Nelson, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Aimee Kendall Roundtree, Assistant Vice President for Research, Texas State University.
• Nicole Ruggiano, Associate Dean of Research, University of Alabama.