McDowell Named Vice President for Research at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Keith McDowell, vice president of research and information technology at the University of Texas at Arlington, has been named vice president for research at The University of Alabama.

“Keith McDowell brings to our university a unique combination of individual research achievement, proven leadership in academic research administration and extensive research agency experience. He will be an excellent leader to help us achieve our goals in the area of funded research at The University of Alabama,” said UA President Robert E. Witt.

McDowell was selected for this new position at UA following a national search. The appointment is effective Monday, Nov. 17.

McDowell came to the University of Texas at Arlington in 1991 as a professor of chemistry. He held several academic posts at UT Arlington including chair of chemistry, dean of the graduate school and his current post, vice president of research and information technology. From 1979-1991 he was affiliated with Los Alamos National Laboratory where he was a researcher and administrator. He also served on the chemistry faculty at Clemson University and as a research associate at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He served as a teaching fellow at Harvard from 1966-71.

McDowell holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in chemical physics from Harvard.

He has authored or co-authored more than 70 journal articles in chemistry and physics and is a frequent presenter at national and international scientific meetings. As a group leader at Los Alamos he was involved in many different research projects with funding totaling more than $4 million per year.

He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, the American Chemical Society and the American Physical Society. He received the Harvard Teaching Fellow Award for excellence in teaching in 1967 and in 1968, and was an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow from 1978-81 while serving on the faculty at Clemson.

Dr. Robert Wells, assistant academic vice president for research, has been serving as interim vice president for research at UA during the search process. “Bob Wells, with his many dedicated years of experience at The University of Alabama, has provided excellent transitional leadership, and we are grateful for his service,” Witt said.

Witt also thanked the search committee for their work in identifying several outstanding candidates for the position. Dr. Amy Ward, professor of biological sciences, chaired the committee.