Two Women Candidates for Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has announced four finalists for the position of associate vice chancellor for research/research development. All four finalists will visit the Knoxville campus by May 5 for interviews and public presentations. Two of the four finalists are women.

Janet E. Nelson is the director of business development for URS Corporation in Germantown, Maryland. She has spent 25 years in scientific research and research portfolio administration. Dr. Nelson is a magna cum laude graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she majored in chemistry. She holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology.

Chitra Rajan is associate vice president for research at Iowa State University in Ames. She has held this post since 2006. Earlier in her career she held administrative and/or faculty posts at Siena College in Albany, New York, and the Albany Medical College. Dr. Rajan earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Poona in India. She earned a second master’s degree and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Ottawa.