ASU forms Knowledge Enterprise Development

Research and Economic Affairs reorganizes to Knowledge Enterprise Development;
Shangraw appointed Senior Vice President and Panchanathan appointed Chief Research Officer

In response to ASU’s rapidly growing research enterprise across all fields and disciplines and the need for continued focus on innovative knowledge creation and transfer, ASU President Michael M. Crow announced the Office of the Vice President of Research and Economic Affairs is being reorganized and renamed the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development. 

Crow also announced the appointment of R.F. “Rick” Shangraw, Jr. as senior vice president for Knowledge Enterprise Development and director of the Global Institute of Sustainability. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan will serve as deputy vice president and university chief research officer.

ASU’s major interdisciplinary research institutes and initiatives report to Shangraw. These include the Biodesign Institute, Global Institute of Sustainability, Flexible Display Center, LightWorks, Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative and Decision Theater. With GIOS, Shangraw will serve as director of that universitywide initiative. 

“Dr. Shangraw and Dr. Panchanathan know the incredible talent of our broadly scoped research community as they’ve seen ASU propel from relative research newcomer to one of the top 20 research institutions in the nation without a medical school,” Crow said. “In this expanded capacity, Rick and Panch will continue to cultivate ASU’s knowledge enterprise within the global innovation ecosystem. They are the right type of leaders to keep at the helm as we continue to grow our enterprise and expand our impact.”

The evolution of the Office of Research and Economic Affairs to the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development ties those involved in research and discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization in a way that more effectively advances knowledge generation, integration and utilization. 

Provost Elizabeth D. Capaldi said that the strong performance of the faculty in research and scholarly activity has brought ASU to this new level.

Shangraw said he is “very grateful for this opportunity to serve in this broader capacity and looks forward to defining this new role to leverage all aspects of the university’s knowledge enterprise from the humanities to engineering and science.” 

“ASU is an interconnected lattice of faculty and staff who generate knowledge, disseminate knowledge and transform knowledge into new ideas, new theories and concepts, inventions, new processes and spinout companies," Shangraw said. "This expanded view of ASU as a knowledge enterprise better reflects all of the activities and outcomes of this great university.”

Panchanathan echoed the sentiment, saying he’s looking forward to helping to advance numerous strategic research initiatives, particularly in assisting faculty identify and compete for major research opportunities.

“Panch is the perfect choice as the university’s chief research officer,” Crow said. “He’s well-respected inside and outside of the institution and his research accomplishments are extensive and impressive. Rick and he make a strong team that is sure to further grow our knowledge enterprise.”

Before becoming the deputy vice president of Research and Economic Affairs, Panchanathan was the founding director of ASU’s School of Computing and Informatics and instrumental in founding the Biomedical Informatics Department at ASU. He also was the chair of the Computer Science and Engineering Department. In addition, he was appointed as the Foundation Chair of Computing and Informatics.

Source:

R. F. “Rick” Shangraw, Jr. – (480) 965-1225
Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan – (480) 965-3699

Media contacts:

Skip Derra, 480-965-4823
John Skinner, 480-965-1225