Two Women Among Three Finalists for Vice President of Research and Innovation at Virginia Tech

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg has announced a field of three finalists for the position of vice president for research and innovation. The three candidates are visiting campus this month for a series of interviews and presentations. Two of the three finalists are women.

Theresa S. Mayer is the associate dean for research and innovation in the College of Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. She also serves as a Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering and materials science and engineering. Dr. Mayer has been on the faculty at Penn State for more than 20 years. Professor Mayer is a graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Padma Raghavan is the associate vice president for research and the director of strategic initiatives at the Pennsylvania State University. She is also a Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering and the founding director of the university’s Institute for CyberScience. Professor Raghaven joined the Penn State faculty in 1994. She is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur, India. Dr. Raghavan earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in computer science at Penn State.