Deborah Crawford is bringing her extensive experience in research at the federal, university and nonprofit levels to George Mason University as vice president of research.
“I am delighted to be joining the university, and look forward to working closely with faculty and student colleagues to strengthen Mason’s growing research enterprise―and what a privilege it is to join just as the institution is recognized as one of the nation's leading research universities,” Crawford said.
This month the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education moved George Mason into the highest research classification, reserved for universities performing research at the highest level.
Crawford is the director of the International Computer Science Institute, an independent research institution affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley. She also served as senior vice provost for research at Drexel University for four years and spent 17 years at the National Science Foundation.
“We are confident in Dr. Crawford’s deep commitment to research, and in her desire to empower and support the colleagues with whom she works,” said Mason provost S. David Wu. “We look forward to sharing news about innovative partnerships, groundbreaking research and reinvigorated programs to support major strategic initiatives under her leadership.”
Crawford attended the provost’s security symposium on Feb. 12.
“The university has pledged a clear commitment to ‘research of consequence,’ which makes our partnerships with corporate and other organizations especially important,” she said. “I am excited about the opportunities to both broaden and deepen Mason’s contributions to the region’s and the nation’s innovation ecosystem.”
She begins her new role at Mason on April 25.