Michelle D. Christy, current director of the Office of Research and Project Administration at Princeton University, has been appointed director of MIT's Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), effective July 16.
Claude R. Canizares, vice president for research and associate provost, made the announcement in an e-mail to the Institute community this morning.
Christy's appointment will "continue a strong tradition of outstanding leadership in the Office of Sponsored Programs," Canizares wrote.
She brings to her new role "extraordinary experience, knowledge and skill across a broad spectrum of research administration activities. She has enormous energy and enthusiasm for the job, as well as an ability to balance the needs of faculty and other principal investigators with the legal and fiduciary requirements under which we must operate," Canizares wrote.
As director of OSP, Christy will have responsibility for "all aspects of pre- and post-award administration, compliance, indirect cost analysis and sub-award administration, and will head the dedicated and capable OSP staff. A nationally respected leader in the field, her appointment will ensure that MIT continues to play its long-standing role as a leader in research policy," Canizares wrote.
Christy began her career in research administration at Tulane and Rutgers universities. She was named associate director in the Office of Research and Project Administration at Princeton University in 1995 and held that position until 2001, when she was appointed director of the office. She holds a B.A. in English literature and an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from Rutgers University.
In his letter, Canizares expressed his gratitude for the "excellent work of the search committee," which was co-chaired by Executive Vice President and Treasurer Theresa M. Stone, and whose members included, from the faculty, Professors Rohan Abeyaratne, Martin A. Schmidt and Timothy M. Swager and, from the staff, Robin C. Elices, Deborah L. Fisher, Ronald E. Hasseltine, James L. Morgan, Doreen Morris, William Peters, Charlene Placido, Anthony P. Sharon and Cecilia Wardle.
Canizares wrote that he was also "profoundly grateful to Julie T. Norris for her willingness to return to OSP to serve as its interim director, and to OSP's leadership and staff for the tremendous effort they have expended to assure smooth continuity of operations. OSP has continued to move forward under Julie's leadership, including adapting to the challenges of the new grants.gov electronic submission system, and everyone in the office deserves our thanks."
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on May 9, 2007 (download PDF).
