Finalists for Director of Research and Sponsored Programs to Hold Open Forums

The two final candidates for director of research and sponsored programs at the University of Arkansas will visit campus this week for interviews and public forums.

The candidates are Vicki L. Spencer of Gunnison County (Colo.) Electric Association Inc. and Patrick S. “Pat” Brown of the University of Mississippi.

Vicki L. Spencer, an attorney, is the energy use/communication specialist for the Gunnison County Electric Association. She will make a public open forum presentation at 4 p.m. Monday, May 6, in Giffels Auditorium in Old Main.

Spencer earned a bachelor’s degree at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Ill., and holds a master’s degree, law degree and doctorate from the University of Denver. She is the energy use/communication specialist at Gunnison County Electric Association. From 1985 to 1997, she served as executive director for sponsored programs and technology transfer at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Patrick S. “Pat” Brown is the senior associate director for administration at the National Center for Physical Acoustics at the University of Mississippi. He will make a public open forum presentation at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 9, in Giffels Auditorium.

Brown received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Mississippi. From 1995 to 2007, he held several positions in the University of Mississippi’s office of research and sponsored programs, including assistant vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs.

The office of research and sponsored programs assists campus investigators with the process of finding funding sources, submitting proposals and managing awards. The office provides guidance to faculty and students in preparing proposals and expending awards in accordance with the regulations of federal and state governments and other funding agencies. It also provides general information regarding sponsored program activity at the university.