With Key Leader in Place, UA Ready to Strengthen Ties with Mobile Area

MOBILE, Ala. – With a new business engagement and research operations manager in place, The University of Alabama’s office in the GulfQuest facility is fortifying existing relationships and pursuing opportunities to help the Mobile area thrive.

Opened earlier this year, UA’s office at GulfQuest on the Mobile waterfront provides a centrally located physical space to expand research capacity and collaborations in the area. It serves as a nexus for research and programmatic initiatives that will benefit the region and UA.

“We want to further develop existing and create new sustainable partnerships within Mobile and south Alabama that are beneficial to external stakeholders, especially industry, in order to increase the number of collaborative projects and, at the same time, create career opportunities for UA students through these partnerships,” said Dr. Russell J. Mumper, UA vice president for research and economic development.

UA has an historical and ongoing presence in the area including research into issues in, around and offshore from Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast that includes an established program at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Other UA efforts in the area have involved adolescent health and transportation, among others, as well as partnerships with the University of South Alabama.

“There is a tremendous amount of potential in partnerships between the University and the community around the Mobile Bay area,” said Dana George, UA’s new business engagement and research operations manager at GulfQuest. “Likewise, there is a lot of expertise at the University that can be used to take full advantage of the opportunities for the region and expand economic development.”

George is originally from Mobile, and began as the manager of UA’s GulfQuest office in June. She is an experienced customer service manager with a demonstrated history of working in the oil and energy industry. She has extensive experience in business engagement, operations, research, sales and customer experience management.

“We are excited Dana has joined our team as the point of contact and UA research leader at GulfQuest,” Mumper said. “She is well positioned to help establish UA as the ‘go to’ university for collaborative problem-solving and helping to strengthening ties with Mobile and South Alabama.”