A message from Penny Gordon-Larsen, Vice Chancellor for Research
Dear colleagues,
I’m pleased to announce that Jill Aronson Pfaendtner will serve as the director of strategic research collaborations for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) starting May 28th. In this newly created position, Pfaendtner will report to the Vice Chancellor for Research and will be responsible for advancing the strategic goals of the organization by promoting collaborative and team science.
Pfaendtner will provide oversight and implementation of strategy for the 13 pan-campus centers and institutes that are situated within OVCR. Additional responsibilities include working closely with campus leadership and the University Development Office to facilitate collaboration and execution of cross-campus, multidisciplinary research initiatives.
In addition, Pfaendtner will promote innovation and entrepreneurship by connecting opportunities across UNC-Chapel Hill and by promoting research partnerships with external public and private organizations. This position will play a critical role in developing metrics and tracking the strategic goals of the OVCR and ensuring progress on university-level research strategy.
Pfaendtner joins Carolina from the University of Washington in Seattle where she worked as a research administrator for a variety of interdisciplinary institutes and initiatives spanning AI, clean energy, and biotech. She has 20 years of experience establishing and growing non-profit operations for academic, research, and industry programs. She has an MEd in educational leadership & policy studies from the University of Washington and a BA in religion and Spanish from Kalamazoo College.
Please join me in welcoming Jill to this new role.