Dr. Susan Davis Allen, a researcher and professor from Florida State University, today was named vice chancellor for research and academic affairs, a new position at Arkansas State University.

Dr. Les Wyatt, president, announced the appointment to a crowd of faculty and university officials in the foyer of the Dean B. Ellis Library.

At ASU, she will be chief academic officer and oversee the university’s move to a stepped-up emphasis on research, especially through ASU’s component of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI).

"In her distinguished career in higher education, Dr. Allen has demonstrated the stature, visibility and experience we need to increase our level of applied research," Dr. Wyatt said. "She will begin developing our capability to give more focus to our research role, benefitting faculty and students."

Since 1996, she has held a joint appointment as professor of chemistry at Florida State, and as professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Florida A & M University/Florida State University College of Engineering. From 1996 until 1999, she served as FSU’s vice president for research.

"I am very excited about the opportunities at Arkansas State University," Dr. Allen said. "I look forward to helping President Wyatt and the faculty build on their great start with the ABI, new graduate programs, and economic development efforts, all grounded in a firm undergraduate teaching tradition."

Prior to moving to Tallahassee, she was vice president for research, dean of the Graduate School, and professor of chemistry, electrical engineering and computer science for four years at Tulane University in New Orleans. Her funded research has totaled in the millions of dollars.

Dr. Allen will be a tenured professor of chemistry at ASU and hold an adjunct appointment to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences faculty. The university will provide a laboratory for her to continue her laser research at ASU, where she will be joined next year by two research associates.

Dr. Allen’s selection concludes a process that began months ago. Dr. Wyatt has interviewed at least 30 prospects for the position, several of whom visited the ASU campus.

"I can say without reservation that we have found the best of the group in Dr. Susan Allen," Dr. Wyatt added. "Her background and experience seem the best suited for Arkansas State University at this particular stage in its development, especially as we are moving toward more emphasis on research."

ASU is a partner in ABI, which is funded by the Tobacco Settlement Act. ASU is a research partner in ABI with four other entities: University of Arkansas at Fayetteville; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture; and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

"An important part of Dr. Allen’s duties will be to help define the research agenda for ABI, some specific areas of research, and to help select the people who will do the research and manage the program," the president also said. ASU broke ground Sept. 7 for the Biosciences/Biotechnology Building, which will house its ABI component.

In her position as vice chancellor, Dr. Allen also will be closely involved with search processes for academic deans and faculty. Currently, interim deans serve three colleges and the library. With the anticipated division of the College of Arts and Sciences, a fifth opening at that level will be created.

"Hiring good people is, in my opinion, the most important job of an academic administrator. The next year will be very busy with five deans and other new hires for the ABI program. These new administrators and faculty will be key to realizing the enhanced research vision for ASU articulated by President Wyatt."

Dr. Allen’s research and teaching career has led her progressively through laboratories and classrooms of several major universities and research facilities.

After completing her undergraduate work at Duke University and Colorado College, she earned her doctoral degree in chemical physics from the University of Southern California in 1971. She worked as a postdoctoral research associate at USC, a staff member at Hughes Research Laboratories, and USC’s Center for Laser Studies.

She became a research assistant professor in electrical engineering at USC in 1981, associate director of the Center for Laser Studies from 1984 until 1987, then professor of chemistry, electrical and computer engineering at the University of Iowa from 1987 to 1992.

In the meantime, she was director of the Laser Microfabrication Facility at four universites: USC, Iowa, Tulane and Florida State.

At Tulane, Dr. Allen was co-director of the Institute for Environmental Remediation and Waste Management, operated by Tulane and Xavier Universities, and served a year as interim director of the Center for Bioenvironmental Research for the same institutional partnership.

While vice president at FSU, she appointed several senior level staff members to key positions in the research structure, and financially turned around the research unit.

She also organized the Florida Research Alliance, consisting of the chief research officers in Florida, under the auspices of the chancellor of the State University System.

In September 1997, shortly after the Florida tobacco settlement was announced, she organized faculty at FSU and the University of Miami to ensure that research and evaluation were integral parts of the planned tobacco education program.

Dr. Allen’s research specialty is laser processing of materials and devices, such as laser assisted particle removal processing and mechanisms; laser induced desorption of adsorbed contaminants; laser chemical vapor deposition and other laser driven reactions; laser micromachining; and other interactions of laser light with materials and structures.

She has published more than 120 papers in scientific journals and presented more than 150 technical papers and seminars. She is inventor or co-inventor on nine active patents.

Dr. Allen has been highly involved with the National Science Foundation, serving on various committees, awards panels and improvement programs. Her professional involvement also has included chairing the Board of Trustees of Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and participating in the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.

She and her husband, Charles (Chuck) Allen, a consultant in economic development, will be relocating to Jonesboro.

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