UT Arlington promotes Carolyn Cason to vice president for research
The former associate nursing dean will have administrative oversight for all University research – now valued at more than $71 million annually – and will lead divisions that manage technology development, intellectual property and the University’s rapidly expanding centers for research excellence.
The University of Texas at Arlington announces the appointment of Carolyn L. Cason, a former associate dean for research in the College of Nursing, as vice president for research.
In her new role, Cason will have administrative oversight for all University research – now valued at more than $71 million annually – and will lead divisions that manage technology development, intellectual property and the University’s rapidly expanding centers for research excellence. She also will oversee compliance with federal funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
President James D. Spaniolo said Cason’s extensive background in collaborative research and research management has significantly strengthened UT Arlington’s program since she began serving as interim vice president for research in November 2011.
Cason succeeds Ronald L. Elsenbaumer, who was named UT Arlington provost and vice president for academic affairs last fall.
“I’m pleased that Dr. Cason will lead our ongoing and successful efforts to enhance UT Arlington’s research profile,” Spaniolo said. “Dr. Cason has a clear vision for how our scientific discoveries translate to technologies that help us live healthier, longer lives and the value that our research brings to the student experience.”
Cason holds a master’s degree in nursing from The University of Texas System School of Nursing, now the UT Austin School of Nursing, and a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology from UT Austin.
Elsenbaumer said Cason emerged as the best candidate for the cabinet-level position following a national search. She will be responsible for achieving strategic goals that will bring to UT Arlington recognition as a national leader in research and innovation. She also will work closely with the UT Arlington Research Institute to advance technology to commercialization.
“With our focus on biomedical technologies, Dr. Cason is ideally suited to lead the charge toward expanding our research influence,” Elsenbaumer said. “She excels at building relationships and will further our efforts to organize faculty and student research teams to tackle the most pressing, societal concerns.”
Cason, a native of Seguin, Texas, began her career as a Registered Nurse working in the intensive nursing care unit at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. She quickly rose to administrative positions and began her teaching career at Texas Woman’s University in Houston before holding positions at The University of Texas at El Paso, Temple University in Philadelphia and at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Cason joined the UT Arlington College of Nursing in 1997. She is a co-founder and former administrator of the Smart Hospital, a state-of-the-science clinical simulation lab, the College’s Smart Care program and the Genomics Translational Research Laboratory.
Cason’s recent research enterprises have focused on building diversity in the healthcare workforce and the use of simulation learning environments in nursing education.
“Our goal remains to become recognized as a University of research excellence and to compete with other top national institutions for public and private support,” Cason said. “We are committed to increasing our cross-disciplinary approach to research and to putting our discoveries to work in the context that makes them most meaningful for society as a whole.”
The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of more than 33,200 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.
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Media contact: Kristin Sullivan, Kristinsul@uta.edu, 817-272-5364
The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu
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