Office of the Vice President for Research at Purdue University

Biographies

Richard O. Buckius

Vice President for Research
Phone: (765) 494-6209
Fax: (765)-496-2589
E-mail: rbuckius@purdue.edu

Richard O. Buckius was named in May 2008 as the University's Vice President for Research. This position is charged with assisting faculty and staff in their research efforts and leading research administration and oversight, research development and proposal preparation, funding opportunities, and private sector partnerships.

Buckius has been assistant director of the National Science Foundation's Directorate of Engineering since 2005 and has been on leave from the University of Illinois since 2004, when he became director of the NSF's Division of Chemical and Transport Systems. He was head of the university's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from 1998 to 2004, the Richard W. Kritzer Professor from 1992 to 1997, and associate vice chancellor for research from 1988 to 1991.

Buckius' research contributions include his work to advance the fundamental knowledge in thermal sciences, specifically in the areas of radiation heat transfer, convective transport, and combustion.

He has received numerous awards, including the Richards Memorial Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in recognition of outstanding contributions to research and teaching in the thermal sciences and the Ralph Coats Roe Award from the American Society for Engineering Education in recognition of contributions to research and teaching. He also received the Potter Gold Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in recognition of eminent achievement in the science of thermodynamics in mechanical engineering.

Buckius received doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1975, 1973, and 1972, respectively.

Alan H. Rebar, DVM, Ph.D.

Senior Associate Vice President for Research
Executive Director, Discovery Park
Phone: (765) 496-6625
Fax: (765) 494-3200
E-mail: rebar@purdue.edu

Alan H. Rebar received his DVM degree in 1973, and his PhD in 1975, both from Purdue University. Following a brief stay in mixed animal practice, Dr. Rebar served as assistant professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology at Purdue University and later as an experimental pathologist at the Lovelace Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1979, he returned to Purdue as an Associate Professor and advanced through the ranks to Professor in 1983. He was Head of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology from 1993-1996; Associate Dean for Research from 1989-1996 and Dean from 1996-2005.

Dr. Rebar's current positions are Purdue University Senior Associate Vice President for Research, Executive Director of Discovery Park at Purdue and Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology in the School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, a former member of the Council of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, past-president of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology, and the former editor of the journal Veterinary Clinical Pathology. He also served as Section Co-Editor of Toxicologic Pathology from 1995-1998 and on the Editorial Boards of American Journal of Veterinary Research from 1983-1985 and Fundamental and Applied Toxicology from 1983-1986.

Dr. Rebar is the author or co-author of 10 books/monographs, 17 textbook chapters, and over 100 scientific articles in the areas of diagnostic cytology, hematology, and inhalation toxicology. He is an internationally recognized expert in clinical laboratory medicine and has presented over 200 invited lectures nationally and internationally. He has consulted widely to the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government. In 1986 he served on the National Academy of Sciences Lithium Toxicity Review Board. He also served as a scientific advisor to the Departments of Interior and Justice during the Exxon Valdez Damage Assessment and Restoration Studies and was a member of the Environmental Protection Agency Panel on Pesticide Toxicity from 1992-1996. In 1989 Dr. Rebar received the Award of Merit from the American Animal Hospital Association, and in 1994 he received the Gaines Cycle Fido Award for outstanding contribution to small animal medicine and surgery. Dr. Rebar received the 2001 WALTHAM Award given in recognition of outstanding activities or contributions by a veterinarian that has resulted in the improvement of the well-being of companion animals in the international veterinary community.

Jeff Bolin Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Research
Phone: (765) 496-6350
Fax: (765) 496-8323
E-mail: jtb@purdue.edu

Jeff Bolin is Purdue University’s associate vice president for research. In this position, he is charged with general responsibility for various aspects of research administration, long-range and annual planning, and oversight of inter- and cross-disciplinary efforts in research. His specific responsibilities include oversight and administration of research core facilities, research development services, and Purdue’s centers policy.

Bolin is a professor of biological sciences and had served as Purdue’s associate dean of research for the College of Science since 2005.

Bolin’s research interests include biochemistry, structural biology, and macromolecular crystallography; the structure and function of proteins, especially metalloenzymes; and current research centers on enzymes involved in the catabolism and biodegradation of aromatic and haloaromatic compounds. His research projects have been supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy, the Exxon Corporation, and the Purdue Research Foundation.

Bolin received his doctoral and master’s degrees in chemistry from the University of California at San Diego in 1982 and 1976 respectively and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Purdue University.

Marietta L. Harrison, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Research
Director, Oncological Sciences Center - Discovery Park
Associate Director, Center for Cancer Research
Phone: (765) 494-1442
E-mail: harrisonm@purdue.edu

Marietta L. Harrison was named Associate Vice President for Research in October 2009. In this position she is charged with responsibility for various aspects of research administration, internal funding, global research policies and aspects of research stewardship.

Harrison is a professor of medicinal chemistry and serves as the Director of the Oncological Sciences Center in Discovery Park and the Associate Director for Oncological Sciences in the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research. Her research interests lie in the area of immune cell activation and the role of immunity in cancer surveillance. The Harrison laboratory studies the mechanisms underlying the function of the pivotal tyrosine kinase Lck and the group has published over 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Harrison served as a member of the NIH Experimental Immunology Study Section and as an ad hoc reviewer for the NIH Allergy and Immunology Study Section, the Transplantation, Tolerance and Tumor Immunology Study Section and various NIH Special Study Sections. She served two terms on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and as a standing member of the ASBMB Human Resource Committee. She is the recipient of the Lafayette Lions Purdue Cancer Research Award, Walther Cancer Institute “Collaborator of the Year Award” and is designated a Women of Purdue honoree.

Harrison received a doctoral degree in biochemistry from the University of Wyoming in 1980 and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.

Ned Howell

Managing Director for Launching Centers and Institutes
Phone: (765) 494-4891
Fax: (765) 494-4850
E-mail: ned@purdue.edu

Ned Howell's duties include leading launch team efforts associated with the startup of interdisciplinary research centers and institutes at Purdue. Prior to assuming this role in 2009, Howell held the position of managing director in the e-Enterprise Center at Discovery Park since joining Purdue in 2002. In his roles at Purdue, Howell has worked with a variety of centers and academic units, including RCHE, OSC, PURVAC, NEXTRANS, C3Bio, Center for Science of Information STC, and the School of Industrial Engineering. Before coming to Purdue he had 27 years of engineering and consulting experience in a variety of consumer products, defense, manufacturing, and software industries.

Charles O. Rutledge, Ph.D.

Dean Emeritus of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences and
Vice President Emeritus for Research
Phone: (765) 494-6209
Fax: (765) 496-2589
E-mail: chipr@purdue.edu

Charles O. (Chip) Rutledge served as Vice President for Research at Purdue University from 2002 until he retired in June, 2008. During his tenure as VPR, sponsored program awards more than doubled - surpassing $334 million for the 2007 - 2008 academic year.

Dr. Rutledge received a B.S. pharmacy at the University of Kansas in 1959 and a Ph.D. in pharmacology at Harvard in 1966. He was a NATO Postdoctoral Fellow in pharmacology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and was on the faculty in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine from 1967 to 1975. Dr. Rutledge was then appointed Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. In 1987, Dr. Rutledge was appointed Dean of the Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences at Purdue and served in this capacity until 2002. In 2001, he was appointed Executive Director for Discovery Park, a new 126 million dollar interdisciplinary research initiative on the Purdue campus.

Dr. Rutledge has been very active in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, serving as Chair of the Council of Faculties, Chair of the Council of Deans, and Association President in 1996-97. He has also served on the Volwiler Award Committee, the Research and Graduate Affairs Committee, the Committee on the Present and Future Needs of the Council of Faculties, the Academic Management System Organizing Committee, and was a member of the Commission on Implementing Change in Pharmacy Education. Dr. Rutledge is a registered pharmacist in Kansas and Indiana. He served as the first Chair of the Indiana Drug Utilization Review Board.

Dr. Rutledge served as President of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics from 1996-97. He has served as Councilor and Treasurer of this organization. He currently is the Chairman of the Investment Subcommittee of the Finance Committee. His interest in financial affairs was also demonstrated when he served as Treasurer of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology from 1994-96. He was Field Editor for the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Editor of Biogenic Amines. Dr. Rutledge has been a member of two NIMH Review Committees and the NIGMS Pharmacological Sciences Review Committee, which reviews training grants in the pharmacological sciences.

Dr. Rutledge has published over 150 papers and abstracts in the field of neuropharmacology. His research includes establishment of a model for studying the mechanism by which amphetamine releases biogenic amine neurotransmitters from nerve endings. He has also conducted studies on the biochemical-behavioral correlates in the use of levodopa for the treatment of Parkinsonism. Other studies have involved an examination of the lipid micro-environment of nerve endings as a determinant of the activity of proteins involved in neurotransmission.

Presentations: The Endless Frontier in Science and Technology

Dave Kotterman

Managing Director for Launching Centers and Institutes
Phone: (765) 494-6223
Fax: (765) 496-2589
E-mail: dkotter@purdue.edu

Dave Kotterman's duties include leading launch team efforts associated with the startup of interdisciplinary research centers and institutes at Purdue. Kotterman has held positions of operations manager and managing director with the ALS NSCORT and INAC research centers within Discovery Park since 2003. Prior to coming to Purdue he had nineteen years of industrial experience in startup situations and leading project planning and implementation initiatives. Kotterman will continue to support the ALS NSCORT and INAC on a part-time basis throughout the life of these NASA supported research grants.

John A. Schneider, Ph.D.

Assistant Vice President for Industry Research
Phone: (765) 494-5532
Fax: (765) 494-8323
E-mail: jas@purdue.edu

John Schneider assists faculty in developing industry contacts and partnerships. His office links Purdue University faculty members with industry and encourages corporate sponsorship of research. He provides a point of contact for companies that are interested in collaborative research programs with Purdue, and facilitates contact with the departments and/or faculty. In addition, he is active in Purdue's economic development initiatives.

John Schneider assumed his position with Purdue University in 1994 after spending twenty-seven years with Dow Chemical Company. He received an AB in chemistry from Albion College, Albion, Michigan and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dr. Geanie Umberger

Assistant Vice President for Corporate and Foundation Relations
Phone: (765) 496-3723
Fax: (765) 494-8323
E-mail: gumberger@purdue.edu

Dr. Geanie Umberger has joined the Office of the Vice President for Research as Assistant Vice President for Corporate and Foundation Relations. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, she holds a degree in pharmacy, a Master’s of Science in Public Health, and a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology. As part of her doctoral graduate work, she was part of a team that developed a device for studying movement and motor control in animals and humans. She did her post doctoral work at the UK College of Medicine, Department of Neurology where she worked with the clinicians to develop potential diagnostic techniques using fMRI for diagnosing Alzheimer's and other memory-related diseases.
Coming from a business background of running a small family-owned pharmacy, she work at Lexmark International, Bristol Myers-Squibb, and Registrat, Inc. Dr. Umberger was previously Administrative Director for Clinical and Translational Science in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Kentucky. In her new position, she will identify and facilitate collaborations between industry and investigators, programs, centers, Discovery Park, departments, start-up companies, and community partners.

Mary Duarte Millsaps

Operations Manager, OVPR
Phone: (765) 494-0702
Fax: (765) 494-8323
E-mail: Millsaps@purdue.edu

Mary Duarte Millsaps is the Operations Manager for the Office of the Vice President for Research. In this position, she manages the central cost sharing funds and assists faculty in navigate the cost sharing process. She also monitors Purdue's policies and procedures related to cost share and ensure compliance with federal and other sponsors' requirements. In addition, Millsaps undertakes special projects as determined by the senior leadership of the OVPR.

Millsaps received a BS in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She joined Purdue University in 2005 as a Senior Account Manager in Sponsored Program Services.

Voichita M. Dadarlat, Ph.D.

Assistant Vice President for Research Compliance
Phone: (765) 496-1763
Fax: (765) 494-8323
E-mail: voichi@purdue.edu

Voichita Dadarlat, as an assistant vice president for research compliance, works to implement and improve research compliance practices and procedures in the areas of Conflict of Interest, Human Subjects Protection, and Export Controls. She currently acts as a conflict of interest administrator/human research subject’s protection administrator, and is reviewing and managing outside activity and financial interest disclosures, and IRB approved protocols.

Voichita received her PhD in physics from Purdue University in 1997 and was a Sloan/DOE postdoctoral fellow in computational biophysics at Purdue and a visiting research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories. In 2001, she returned to Purdue as a research scientist in chemistry. Prior to joining the Office of Research Administration in 2006, she was a senior research scientist in computer science and medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. Voichita has published several papers on computational biophysics and continues to pursue research in the area of protein stability and free energy calculation for protein-ligand binding.

Michael Szczepanski

Director of Research Quality Assurance
Phone: (765) 496-6653
Fax: (765) 494-1360
E-mail: mikes@purdue.edu

Michael Szczepanski's duties include leading the team efforts related to research quality assurance. Szczepanski has held positions of special projects manager with Sponsored Program Services, director Business Services Computing, and several positions in Contract and Grant Business Affairs (former name of SPS). While in OCGBA he performed pre and post award roles for grants from federal, state, foreign government, foundations and industrial sponsors. Szczepanski also was involved with the development and management of sponsored program and financial systems.

VPR Staff