A national search has been launched to recruit the next executive director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI).
The transportation institute executive director will oversee the university’s largest research institute, which is conducting more than 300 current research projects in partnership with more than 100 public and private organizations to improve transportation safety nationally and globally. VTTI exceeded $50 million in externally sponsored awards in fiscal year 2020 and historically accounts for 12-15 percent of sponsored research at Virginia Tech.
The executive director will also become the new president of VTT LLC, a $5 million annual university-affiliated research corporation running the Global Center for Automotive Performance Simulation in Halifax County, Va.
The new transportation institute executive director will replace Tom Dingus, who has led VTTI for 25 years and recently announced his plans to return to the faculty.
Stefan Duma, executive director of Virginia Tech’s Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, will chair the search committee. The search committee members are
Dennis Dean, university distinguished professor in biochemistry, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Elizabeth Hooper, director of the state Office of Government Relations.
Ron Fricker, interim dean, College of Science and statistics professor.
Pascha Gerni, chief finance and administration officer, VTTI.
Eric Glenn, senior research specialist, VTTI.
Raymond Major, associate professor, business information technology, Pamplin College of Business.
Cathy McGhee, director of research and innovation for the Virginia Transportation Research Council.
Miguel Perez, associate professor, biomedical engineering and mechanics, the College of Engineering and group leader, data engineering, VTTI.
Hesham Rakha, Samuel Reynolds Pritchard Professor of Engineering, Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering; director of the Center for Sustainable Mobility, VTTI.
Don Taylor, executive vice provost, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
Brandy Salmon, associate vice president, Innovation and Partnerships, LINK + LICENSE + LAUNCH.
Susan Soccolich, research associate, VTTI.
Eileen Van Aken, chair, Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering.
Yang Zhang, associate professor, School of Public and International Affairs.
The Division of Human Resources’s Talent Acquisition team will assist with the search.
