Provost Brickhouse Appoints Kevin Chambliss, Ph.D., as Baylor Vice Provost for Research

July 10, 2019
Kevin Chambliss

Kevin Chambliss, Ph.D., has been appointed vice provost for research at Baylor University. (Blake Thomas/Baylor University Office of the Vice Provost for Research)

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WACO, Texas (July 10, 2019) – Kevin Chambliss, Ph.D., who has served since January as interim vice provost for research at Baylor University, has been appointed to the permanent role, announced today by Provost Nancy Brickhouse. The appointment is effective immediately.

“I’m pleased that Dr. Chambliss will continue to serve in this important position for Baylor,” Brickhouse said. “Since January, he has provided remarkable leadership as interim VPR as the University moves forward on expanding our research and scholarship aspirations. This includes developing a new organizational model in the Office of the VPR that supports the growth of overall research activity at Baylor and aligns with the University’s broader Illuminate strategic plan to become an R1/Tier 1 institution.”

“I’m honored to be a permanent member of Provost Brickhouse’s team and to have an opportunity to lead the next phase of growth in Baylor’s research enterprise,” Chambliss said. “We are building a strong team and a sound plan to provide Baylor researchers with the requisite infrastructure support to deliver on President Livingstone’s challenge to achieve R1/Tier 1 status and become a preeminent Christian research university.”

As the University’s chief research officer, Chambliss leads staff from several offices – including Pre-/Post-Award Administration, Research Compliance, Research Development, Technology Commercialization and Industry Engagement, Research Facilities, Data Analytics and Planning, Research Marketing and Communications, and University Research Administrators – that assist faculty from all academic units in identifying, obtaining and managing the funding needed to support research and scholarship. This includes internal “seed” funding, matching grant proposal funding, searchable online funding databases, grant writing seminars, proposal support and travel awards to national external funding agencies and more.

In addition, the VPR acts as Baylor’s representative in pursuing partnerships and collaborative agreements with entities outside the University. The office negotiates sponsored research agreements on behalf of faculty and pursues technology transfer and licensing opportunities with industry and also manages and operates the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC).

“This is a critical position for Baylor as we proceed with the implementation of Illuminate, our strategic plan, and achieve our vision of becoming a preeminent Christian research university,” said President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “Throughout his career at Baylor, Dr. Chambliss has established extensive relationships throughout the research community, which will accelerate the University’s progress toward our R1/Tier 1 goals.”

Before becoming interim vice provost, Chambliss served as a professor of chemistry and biochemistry (2001-present), graduate program director for The Institute of Ecological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (TIE3S) and associate dean for research and graduate education in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences. The Chambliss lab at Baylor has focused on analytical and environmental chemistry research that develops practical solutions to complex, interdisciplinary problems at the nexus of energy, environment and health. His lab has been continuously funded by external partners since 2002, with generous support from a variety of federal (USDA/NIFA, DoE, DoD, NOAA, EPA), state and industry sponsors.

Chambliss received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Ouachita Baptist University and earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Colorado State University. He conducted postdoctoral studies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.