Gillian Wilson, a professor of physics and astronomy, has been named senior associate vice chancellor for research and economic development at UC Riverside, in the Office of Research and Economic Development (RED) .

Wilson will fill in for Michael Pazzani, vice chancellor for research and economic development, when he goes on sabbatical for three months starting Feb. 1, 2018.

In her new role, she will be responsible for developing UCR’s shared research core facilities to enable researchers to have access to state-of-the-art technology for their scientific research and scholarship. She will also pursue activities aimed at increasing funding opportunities and developing collaborative partnerships across disciplines, including positioning UCR’s centers and institutes to be globally relevant in the 21st century, and helping to develop a strategic research vision for the campus.

Wilson joined the Department of Physics & Astronomy in 2007 and has served as chair of the RED Advisory Board since early 2017. She also serves as chair of the systemwide UC Observatories Advisory Committee and was interim deputy director of UC Observatories until she stepped down to join RED.

Previously, she served as chair of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Executive Committee and as interim divisional dean for physical sciences and mathematics. She is a co-principal investigator on a prestigious NSF Innovation Corps Site grant. Last year, she was named an ELATE Fellow.

Wilson’s research expertise is in observational cosmology and galaxy evolution. She is the principal investigator of “SpARCS”, one of the world’s largest and most scientifically-productive galaxy cluster surveys. She chairs the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s Graduate Diversity Committee and is committed to public outreach and, especially, to attracting women and minorities into the STEM fields.

Wilson was recently selected as an Association of Public & Land-grant Universities (APLU) Council on Research (CoR) Research Leader Fellow, one of only eight recipients – all rising research leaders – selected nationally. This inaugural national fellowship program is designed to enable individuals who may aspire to become vice presidents, vice provosts, or vice chancellors of research to develop the critical knowledge and skills essential to research support and competitiveness. The 18-month fellowship will allow Wilson to make site visits to some of the nation’s leading research institutions, and will also allow her to develop specialized expertise in research administration, research development, research compliance, research communication, and economic development.

“The CoR Research Leader Fellowship comes at the perfect time for me in my career as I take on new responsibilities as senior associate vice chancellor for research and economic development at UCR,” Wilson said. “I am thrilled at the opportunity to work more closely with the many great researchers we have on campus.”