Dear UNT faculty and staff,

I am proud to welcome Mark R. McLellan to our UNT family as our new vice president for research and innovation.

A 30-year leader of university research programs, Mark comes to us from Portland State University, where he has served as vice president of research and graduate studies since August 2018. There, he implemented several high-profile initiatives that resulted in a significant increase in external research grant funding. His start date is Sept. 16.

Mark's leadership will be critical as our university solidifies our reputation as a Tier One research university, and I am grateful he has agreed to bring his extensive knowledge and expertise to UNT. He has vast experience in higher education and at major research institutions, and we have found him to be incredibly insightful and collaborative.

Mark will lead our efforts in developing and implementing new strategies in collaboration with the Office of the Provost and others to transform and expand our research enterprise. He also is charged with overseeing UNT's Strategic Plan for Research and helping us advance our goal of becoming a recognized National Research University.

I want to thank Narendra Dahotre, University Distinguished Research Professor in materials science and engineering, who has served tirelessly as interim vice president since February 2018. Narendra's efforts were critical and helped us secure $10 million in funding from the 86th Texas Legislature for UNT's Center for Agile and Adaptive Additive Manufacturing.

This appointment comes at a critical time as UNT is not only seeking to grow our research portfolio, but also provide better research experiences to our faculty and students.

Please read more about Mark in our news announcement and join me in welcoming him to our UNT family.

UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President