Kennesaw State names university’s first vice president for research

Charles Amlaner tapped to expand research and funding(For the complete story‚ please click on the headline above.)

Georgia (Mar 18, 2009) — Kennesaw State University has named Charles J. Amlaner Jr.‚ a research scientist who has chaired four academic departments at state universities in Indiana and Arkansas‚ as vice president for research and dean of the Graduate College. Amlaner will start his new job on July 1.

Amlaner‚ the Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Professor at Indiana State University since 2003‚ will serve as KSU’s very first vice president for research. In this new position‚ Amlaner‚ who has conducted extensive research on animal and human sleep physiology‚ will help KSU secure more external funding for research. As dean of the Graduate College‚ Amlaner also will lead KSU in further developing graduate programs‚ implementing doctoral degrees and enhancing research and creative activities.

Kennesaw State Provost Lendley C. Black noted Amlaner’s diverse background over 23 years in higher education‚ which includes teaching‚ research and administration‚ as a primary reason he was chosen from among four finalists identified in a national search. He added that Amlaner’s background and experience are well−suited to Kennesaw State’s academic mission as a teaching institution.

“He understands well our type of university‚” Black said. “We’re not trying to become a Research 1 institution like UGA or Georgia Tech. We’re charting our own course as a university that is heavily involved in research‚ but maintains a strong focus on teaching and public service.”

Since 1981‚ Amlaner has headed the Animal Sleep Research Group at Indiana State University in Terre Haute‚ Ind. A biologist and physiologist‚ Amlaner has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in biology‚ animal and human physiology‚ and zoology. He also served as chair of the Environmental and Ecological Sciences‚ Science Education and Life Sciences departments at Indiana State University‚ and headed the Department of Zoology at the University of Arkansas.

Amlaner earned his Bachelor of Science in Biophysics and Master of Arts in Biology from Andrews University in Michigan‚ and a Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Behavior from Oxford University in England.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.