Ware completes 20-year term as vice president for research at Syracuse University

Kevin C. Quinn
(315) 443-8338

Syracuse University’s Ben R. Ware, who has served as vice president for research since 1989, today announced he will complete his service in that role at the end of this fiscal year. Ware will be granted a one-year leave of absence to pursue his scholarly interests; it is anticipated that he will return to continue his service as dean of the Graduate School, a position he has held since 2006.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to have been involved in so many exciting initiatives and to have worked with such wonderful colleagues in the research enterprise,” Ware says. “In the next few years, I would like to pursue some new scholarly interests I have developed, I want to teach and spend more time with students, and I want to determine whether I can improve the contributions of the Graduate School to graduate-and particularly doctoral- education.”

“Ben has been a selfless, unassuming and highly effective vice president for research,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric F. Spina. “For more than 20 years, he has driven the research enterprise at Syracuse by serving faculty, advising SU academic leaders and forging meaningful external connections. Ben’s creative energy, insightful analyses and powerful advocacy have helped the University make great strides as an AAU research university, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his service. From a professional and personal perspective, I am grateful for Ben’s leadership, support and friendship, and I am pleased that he will continue to serve the University and its faculty and students for many years to come.”

“During his distinguished career at SU, Ben has been an exceptional member of the University’s senior leadership, providing direction on a range crucial issues that reflects the breadth of the expertise he’s developed-from research and teaching to information technology and graduate affairs,” says Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “We’re looking forward to having him back after a well-deserved leave-especially knowing that our students will be the primary beneficiaries of his vast knowledge and experience.”

Ware joined SU in 1979, coming from Harvard University; he assumed the position of vice president for research in 1989. In that position, he has been responsible for the encouragement and development of research and other forms of scholarly activity at the University, including responsibility for grants and contracts, technology transfer and research integrity. Ware has served as the Academic Affairs liaison to the Senate Committee on Research, the University Committee on Intellectual Property, the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Office of Government Relations. He has also been the institutional official responsible for the protection of human and animal research subjects.

From 1992-2004, Ware held the position of vice president for research and computing and chief information officer (CIO). In that capacity, he was responsible for all of the University’s management of computing and media technology and services. In fall 2004, Ware stepped out of the CIO role in order to devote full time to the University’s expanding efforts in research and technology transfer. In 2006, he became dean of the Graduate School, in addition to his position as vice president for research. In this position, he was responsible for policies, program review and professional development related to graduate education.

Gina Lee-Glauser named VP for research

Spina has named Gina Lee-Glauser, associate vice president for research, to succeed Ware as vice president for research and serve on the Chancellor’s Cabinet. Lee-Glauser became SU’s associate vice president for research in 2005 and in that role leads the University’s technology transfer efforts.

“Gina and I have worked closely together over the past decade. I greatly admire her intelligence, energy and spirit. She has been an excellent partner in all of the activities of the research office, and I am confident she will be effective in her new role,” says Ware. “Through her many forms of service to the profession, she has built a national network of colleagues whose affection and respect for her will prove to be a strong asset to the University.”

“I am grateful for Ben’s leadership and mentorship since I joined Syracuse University in 2001. Under his nurturing wing, I observed and learned his unwavering passion for serving the University and faculty, and his open style leadership and guidance, which have allowed me to expand and grow to serve the greater University community,” says Lee-Glauser. “I greatly admire his intelligence, can-do attitude, directness and enthusiasm, particularly when assisting multidisciplinary/multi-university initiatives. I hope to exemplify these attributes to serve the faculty, staff and students, and fulfill the mission of the University.”

“Gina has long been viewed as a proactive and effective voice for the research enterprise at Syracuse University,” says Spina. “She has worked hard to encourage junior faculty in sponsored research and has done a tremendous job of pulling together faculty from across the University to pursue promising opportunities. In addition, she is very well known and respected in key funding agencies in Washington and Albany, is highly effective in forging collaborations with industry, and has a strong national network that will be key for SU as she assumes this critically important role. I look forward to working closely with Gina and know that she will be a worthy successor to Ben.”

Lee-Glauser has been a member of the SU community since 2001. In 2006, she was named director of SU’s CASE Center, a New York State Center of Advanced Technology supported by the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). Earlier this year, she returned full time to her responsibilities as associate vice president for research.

Under her leadership, CASE’s network of industry partners and CASE’s economic impact on New York state increased dramatically. For the 2007-08 fiscal year, CASE was one of the top Centers for Advanced Technology statewide in economic impact, with a total impact of more than $70 million, including revenues generated and jobs created and retained in the state. A study of state economic development organizations conducted by SU’s Maxwell School in fall 2008 also found that CASE was the second-most-influential organization in Central New York among the 70 groups tracked in the study.

Lee-Glauser is also a research faculty member in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science. She previously served as assistant vice president for academic affairs, director of research and research associate professor in mechanical and aeronautical engineering at Clarkson University. She has held engineering positions at AT&T, Moog Inc. and General Motors, and did postdoctoral work at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Hurd named acting dean of the Graduate School

Spina also announced that Associate Provost for Academic Programs Sandra Hurd will assume the role of acting dean of the Graduate School while Ware is on leave. Just as she has formed partnerships to serve undergraduate students and advance program quality as associate provost, Hurd will work with the Graduate School staff and the deans of the schools and colleges to serve the graduate students of the University and advance the quality of graduate programs. Chief among her responsibilities in this new role during 2009-10 will be continuing the new doctoral program review process in collaboration with the schools and colleges, and advancing the integration of programs to recruit and retain students from under-represented populations.