Minnesota selects UW’s Mulcahy for top research post

Tapping one of the UW’s most visible and proven administrators, the University of Minnesota has selected R. Timothy Mulcahy to be its chief research officer.

Mulcahy, a professor of pharmacology, associate dean for the biological sciences in the Graduate School and associate vice chancellor for research policy, was named Minnesota’s vice president for research. He begins his new position effective Feb. 1, 2005.

A student, faculty member and administrator at UW–Madison for 25 of the last 30 years, Mulcahy has been a point person on some of the most difficult and contentious research issues of the day. From formulating policy and strategy for stem cell research to ensuring that the university is in compliance with federal policies for human subjects, animal-based research and select biological agents, Mulcahy has managed one of the most difficult administrative domains in higher education.

“Tim will be missed,” says Graduate School Dean Martin Cadwallader. “He has been a pivotal member of the Graduate School team and has provided the campus with invaluable leadership across a wide range of issues, including research policy, human subjects, animal care, conflict of interest, biosecurity, stem cells, the responsible conduct of research, and research and graduate education in the biological sciences.”

At Minnesota, Mulcahy will oversee research at one of the nation’s great public research universities. In many ways, the University of Minnesota is similar to UW–Madison. It has an enormous, across-the-board portfolio of research and annually ranks as one of the leading research universities in terms of expenditures for academic research. Like Wisconsin, it faces many challenges related to research policy and maintaining competitiveness in an age when many other institutions aspire to the same level of accomplishment.

“Minnesota is a large, complex public research university with many similarities with UW,” Mulcahy says. “They have very strong research, are on a very positive trajectory, have a great vision for their future and are seeking a leader to help them realize their full potential.”

Among his many accomplishments here at the UW, Mulcahy says he feels best about establishing effective cross-campus partnerships to meet challenges and enhance research opportunities.

“I think I have worked effectively with people at all levels in the university,” he says. “Among the most rewarding accomplishments, I would include improvements in our human-subjects and animal-care programs, creation of the Research Advisory Council for the development of campuswide research policy, opportunities to represent the university’s interests at the state and federal levels, evolution of effective conflict-of-interest policies and the development of electronic disclosure tools. I don’t think of any of these things as individual accomplishments. Success has always been a team effort.”

The Graduate School plans to appoint an interim successor by the beginning of the spring term, according to Cadwallader. A search to fill the position permanently will take place next year.

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