The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

   Media contact:  Susan McKinsey, 277-1807

December 10, 2008

Fulghum Named UNM Vice President for Research
Served as interim in that position
              
University of New Mexico Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Suzanne Ortega has appointed Julia Fulghum as UNM’s Vice President for Research.  Fulghum has served as interim vice president since May 2008.  The previous vice president, Terry L. Yates, passed away in December 2007.

“Julia has brought the many facets of the research enterprise together in a short period of time, and with assuredness and sensitivity, has enabled people to work together to make significant progress,” said Provost Ortega.  “She is an outstanding teacher and researcher who has now shown her great leadership skills.”

Fulghum joined UNM in August 2002 as Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering.  As chair, she has hired nine faculty members as part of departmental efforts to develop interdisciplinary research and educational programs in biomedical engineering, emerging energy technologies and nuclear non-proliferation science.

“We are very pleased and very fortunate to have such a strong and proven research leader as a research   partner,” said Dr. Richard Larson, Vice President for Translational Research at the UNM Health Sciences Center.  “Dr. Fulghum and I will continue to work hand in hand to advance the research mission for the University of New Mexico, focusing on improving our overall infrastructure and coordinating our research efforts.  She will be a talented and dedicated partner in our search for cures and innovations to benefit our state and nation.”

Fulghum received her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, her Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry from Cornell University and her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UNC.  Her research interests include materials characterization with an emphasis on multi-technique correlation and multivariate data analysis.

Fulghum serves on the Board of Directors of the Science and Technology Corporation (STC.UNM), as chair of the Board of the New Mexico Consortium and on the boards of the New Mexico Computer Applications Center and New Mexico Lambda Rail.  She is also a director on the Governing Board of the Council for Chemical Research and serves as chair of the Professional Leadership and Outreach Committee of the American Vacuum Society (AVS).  In October 2008, she was named a Fellow of the Society by the AVS in recognition of both her research accomplishments and her professional service.

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