Associate Vice President for Research Burkett To Retire

Richard McCullough, vice president for research at Carnegie Mellon, announced on Friday that Associate Vice President for Research Susan Burkett will be retiring, effective June 30, 2012, after 37 years at CMU.

"As is often the case, this retirement announcement is bittersweet. It is with sadness that we say farewell, but it is with much happiness that we say 'thank you' and wish her all the best in her many years ahead," McCullough said in an email to campus.

Burkett has been vice president for research for 22 years and has played a crucial role in the success of the university's research enterprise, bringing energy, enthusiasm, her knowledge and expertise and her love for Carnegie Mellon to work with her every day. As associate vice president for research, she’s managed our Office of Sponsored Programs, assuring compliance with university, federal and funding agency policies.

She has served on many committees, including the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects, the Conflict of Interest Committee, the University Library Advisory Board, the Research and Technology Commercialization Subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, the Undergraduate Research Advisory Board and the University Research Council. Prior to becoming associate vice president for research, she was director of information management for the Software Engineering Institute and director of technical and research communication for the College of Engineering.

"She is greatly admired by her colleagues at CMU and her professional peers around the world," McCullough said. "Susan has been a a member of several professional organizations, such as the the Council on Government Relations, University and Industry Demonstration Partnership, the National Council of Research Administrators and the Society of Research Administration. "

Additionally, she has authored numerous articles on research policy and has been a consultant for several organizations in government and industry, including the CIA, the American Institutes for Research and the Business — Higher Education Forum of the American Council of Education.