The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research welcomes Gloria (Geanie) Umberger as the associate vice president for research and director of industry Research Collaborations. Umberger will be responsible for developing and nurturing corporate relationships with potential and existing partners to further industrial research growth at the University.
Umberger comes from Purdue University, where she has been engaging industry partners in economic development activities, including attracting companies to Indiana, development of IoT and cyber technology partnerships, expanding industry presence at their technology park, and other initiatives around student educational offerings, projects, and opportunities. She also established collaborations between Purdue faculty with industry for the purposes of sponsoring research and supporting large-scale projects and centers. Umberger has had significant industry experience performing successful regulatory compliance, large-scale project management, technology-based business development, and building innovative university-industry relations.
Umberger attended the University of Kentucky where she earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, a master of science in public health, and a doctorate in anatomy and neurobiology. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine's Department of Neurology focused on the development of techniques using functional MRI to diagnose Alzheimer's and other memory-related diseases. Umberger served as Purdue's assistant vice president for industry relations in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, and associate dean for engagement in the Purdue Polytechnic. In addition to her extensive work in academia as a senior administrator and faculty member, she worked in industry for IBM, Lexmark International, REGISTRAT and Bristol Myers-Squibb.