Sherri Jones, interim vice chancellor for Research and Innovation, has announced she will step down from her current role Nov. 15 to begin transitioning to her planned retirement. Jennifer Nelson, current associate vice chancellor for research, centers and core facilities, will step into the role of interim vice chancellor until a search for a permanent leader of the Office of Research and Innovation is completed. Jones will continue to serve in a part-time capacity as a senior research adviser to aid in the transition.

Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett shared the news with the campus community in an Oct. 17 email.

“As you know, Dr. Jones is a Husker to the core, and upon her retirement we will miss the leadership, expertise and passion she brings to her work at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,” Bennett wrote. “Dr. Jones is emblematic of all our hard-working faculty and staff who come to our campuses each day with a commitment to making UNL the best it can be for our faculty, staff and students, and for the state of Nebraska.

“I am personally grateful for Dr. Jones’ willingness to step into the vice chancellor role last year, at a critical time when the university needed her leadership. I am also grateful to Dr. Nelson for answering this call to additional leadership.”

Under Jones’ leadership, the university experienced increases across the metrics by which research success is measured — including, but not limited to, increases in the number and amount of externally funded awards, and research expenditures.

Bennett also recognized Jones for her dedicated work as the Velma Warren Hodder Professor and Chair of the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, as director of the Barkley Memorial Center, as dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences, and most recently as interim vice chancellor.

In her current role, Nelson is responsible for research strategy and infrastructure and serves as Nebraska’s research integrity officer, overseeing the university’s efforts to comply with national requirements and norms for responsible conduct of research and conflict of interest. She has been a Husker faculty member since 2011 and has served as director of administration of the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior. 

Bennett said Nelson has a deep understanding of the vision and mission of the Office of Research and Innovation. He noted that she has worked collaboratively with her team as well as campuswide committees and leadership to develop and implement an updated COI/COC policy, appropriately address new compliance regulations, and promote recommendations for research data management and sharing. She has also forged strong partnerships with center and core facility directors, University of Nebraska Information Technology Services, University Libraries, research centers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and federal regulatory bodies. 

“The important work of the Office of Research and Innovation will continue at full steam ahead under Dr. Nelson’s leadership,” Bennett said.