Underscoring Vanderbilt's commitment to accelerating its impact in research and innovation at the national and global levels, Padma Raghavan has been appointed to the newly created role of chancellor's executive director for science and technology strategy, reporting directly to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, beginning July 1.
Raghavan, a distinguished professor and internationally recognized leader in supercomputing and computational science and engineering, joined Vanderbilt in 2016 and has served as vice provost for research and innovation and as chief research officer while acting as a senior advisor to Diermeier. In her new role, she will ensure that the university's goals related to science and technology reflect their significance as one of the university's strategic priorities.
"Padma has overseen and dramatically expanded the university's research portfolio, leveraging her remarkable experience and expertise to drive Vanderbilt's vision as a catalyst and incubator of innovation," Diermeier said. "A brilliant strategist and collaborator, she has been central to the development of long-term partnerships that position Vanderbilt as a global hub for research and technology. Now more than ever, I'm thrilled for Padma to join the Office of the Chancellor, where her leadership will be instrumental in shaping our strategic direction and reinforcing Vanderbilt's role as a leader in scientific and technological advancement."
SETTING THE COURSE
As vice provost for research and innovation, Raghavan has overseen dramatic advancements and expansion of the university's research and innovation portfolio, ranging from technology transfer and commercialization across Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to the development of long-term strategic partnerships spanning higher education, government and the private sector.
Key partnerships advanced under Raghavan's leadership include:
- Ancora Innovation, an alliance with pharmaceutical giant Deerfield Management established in 2018 to accelerate the development and delivery of life-changing therapeutics ranging from treatments for opioid use disorders to epilepsy.
- Pathfinder, a partnership with the U.S. Army, launched in 2021 to rapidly develop mission-critical solutions, including an exosuit to prevent back injuries and an AI-powered system for secure communications.
- A new collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory began in 2024 that leverages the College of Connected Computing and Vanderbilt's Institute for Software Integrated Systems to develop dependable AI for security applications.
During her tenure, Raghavan also spearheaded the development of new and enhanced pre-award infrastructure and services to empower faculty researchers and scholars to advance more ambitious, high-impact projects with external support. Under Raghavan's leadership, university-spanning cross-functional teams led by Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Integrity and Compliance have undertaken major system and procedural enhancements with the launch of the VERA pre-award system in 2021 and the new VU Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research IRB in 2025.
Vanderbilt and VUMC have also reached new heights in technology transfer and commercialization during Raghavan's tenure as vice provost, with the completion of many of the largest and most significant licensing deals executed by the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization since its inception, as well as record numbers of startups, invention disclosures and licensing revenues that have consistently placed Vanderbilt in the top 10 nationally in recent years.
"Padma has transformed Vanderbilt's research enterprise-driving major federal partnerships, accelerating technology transfer and forging vital collaborations across disciplines and sectors," said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver. "In this new role, her deep expertise will continue to guide our most ambitious efforts in science and technology, positioning Vanderbilt for even greater national and global impact."
LOOKING AHEAD
Building on her track record of high-impact strategic growth, Raghavan will set the vision and develop and model the science and technology strategy for energy innovation, defense and national security, health technology, and the Nashville and Tennessee innovation ecosystems. She will also continue to develop collaborations with existing partners such as Oak Ridge National Lab and represent Vanderbilt in national and global leadership roles, including as the chancellor's designee for the Council on Competitiveness.
As a fellow of the IEEE and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Raghavan will remain active in the field of supercomputing and continue her work on prominent boards and committees, such as the UT-Battelle Board of Governors and the President's Committee for the National Medal of Science. Because of Raghavan's work within the university and on its behalf over the past nine years, Vanderbilt is well-positioned to lead in university research and innovation efforts worldwide.
"It's been a privilege for me to work closely with university and medical center leadership and with so many faculty who are driving impact by forging bold new directions in research and innovation," Raghavan said. "In this new role, I look forward to continuing to engage with the Vanderbilt community to advance our science and technology mission."
GLOBAL SEARCH WILL IDENTIFY A NEW VICE PROVOST
Vanderbilt is launching an international search for a new vice provost for research and chief research officer. In the interim, leadership responsibilities will be collaboratively managed by three experienced senior associate provosts, each with a strong track record and extensive experience at Vanderbilt.
Liz Zechmeister, senior associate provost for academic support and advancement and the interim chief research officer, will oversee Sponsored Programs Administration, Research Integrity and Compliance, Research Development and Support, and Vanderbilt University Research Council. Zechmeister will also lead internal funding programs, including Seeding Success, Scaling Success and Provost Bridge funding in collaboration with Richard Willis.
Richard Willis, senior associate provost for research and innovation, will manage federal agency-sponsored research and development execution, managing operational processes in close coordination with Zechmeister. He will also drive the first-year investment recommendations made by the Computing Catalyst Working Group, oversee the Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education and facilitate alignment with the Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering. He will serve as the coordination lead for cross-functional activity across the office's units.
Bob Webster, senior associate provost for graduate education, will oversee the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, industry partnerships for research and development, and the Technology Review Committee.
"With the interim leadership of Liz, Richard and Bob-three trusted and experienced academic leaders-we are well-positioned to advance Vanderbilt's research priorities and expand vital partnerships across the university and beyond," Raver added.
