David Vorp, associate dean for research at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering and professor of Bioengineering, is one of eight people nationwide named to the third cohort of the Research Leader Fellowship Program of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Council on Research.
The 18-month fellowship is designed to allow rising research leaders to gain expertise outside of their respective portfolios and to foster connections with the Council on Research’s extensive network of senior research officers through site visits and participation in council meetings.
Vorp also holds secondary appointments in Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me that I will ensure also greatly benefits Pitt and the Swanson School,” Vorp said in a news release. “In the past few years we have expanded and diversified our research portfolio, increased our public-private research partnerships through the creation of our Making Research Work initiative, and more. But there is so much more that we can do, and I’m excited to see up-close the best practices and novel programs developed by other research universities and learn from the best minds in the business.”
During his fellowship, Vorp plans to focus on working more closely with Pitt’s Office of Community and Governmental Relations; integrating research data and analytics into proactive planning and research portfolio management; and developing more sustainable revenue models for the Swanson School’s several research centers and institutes. He also plans to investigate how the Swanson School can play a greater role in regional economic development as well as develop stronger multidisciplinary and sponsored research programs.