Susan Margulies Appointed Vice Provost for Research at Vanderbilt

Susan Margulies has been appointed as the new vice provost for research and innovation at Vanderbilt University, effective June 1, 2024. Margulies, who previously served as the assistant director of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Engineering, brings a wealth of experience in fostering research excellence and innovation. In her new role, she will report directly to C. Cybele Raver, the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, and will also hold a professorship in biomedical engineering within Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering.

Raver praised Margulies as a “world-renowned scholar and leader,” highlighting her extensive career that blends foundational research with real-world impact. Margulies will be responsible for shaping the future of Vanderbilt’s research enterprise, which includes promoting sponsored research and enhancing the journey from concept to funding, implementation, and commercialization.

Driving Innovation and Collaboration

Margulies expressed enthusiasm for Vanderbilt’s commitment to its vision of “dare to grow,” emphasizing her focus on fostering collaboration and empowering faculty and teams. “My focus will be on strengthening the systems, partnerships, and catalysts that allow faculty and teams to pursue bold ideas and move them efficiently from concept to funding to implementation to impact,” she stated.

Before her appointment, Margulies managed an annual budget of nearly $800 million at the NSF, overseeing research that accounts for more than 40 percent of federal funding for engineering at academic institutions. Her tenure at NSF ENG was marked by the establishment of innovative funding mechanisms that prioritized high-risk, high-reward projects, as well as numerous partnerships across federal, industry, and philanthropic sectors.

Her academic background includes a professorship at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, a joint department of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. Margulies previously served as chair of the department from 2017 to 2021, during which time research activity tripled, national rankings soared, and fundraising efforts secured an additional $41 million.

A Legacy of Impact in Engineering

Margulies’ research focuses on understanding brain injuries in children and adolescents, as well as lung injuries related to mechanical ventilation. Her work has significantly advanced injury prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, earning her recognition from multiple prestigious organizations. With over $35 million in research funding, more than 350 peer-reviewed articles, and numerous awards and honors, her contributions have had a profound impact on her field.

She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, among others. Margulies is also a Fellow of various professional societies, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Biomedical Engineering Society.

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), which Margulies will lead, was established in 2016 following the administrative separation of Vanderbilt University from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Since its inception, the office has expanded significantly, now employing over 200 staff members and supporting more than $1 billion in annual R&D expenditures across all university schools and colleges.

Margulies will be pivotal in enhancing Vanderbilt’s research capabilities, leveraging her extensive background to build partnerships with funding agencies, foundations, and private industry. The search committee that selected her comprised faculty and administrative leaders with expertise related to the OVPRI portfolio, supported by Spencer Stuart, a leading executive search firm specializing in higher education and industry partnerships.

As Margulies steps into her new role, the Vanderbilt community eagerly anticipates her contributions to advancing the university’s mission of fostering innovation and research excellence.