FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Ian Czarnezki has been named the new associate chief information officer for research and academic technologies effective Aug. 9.

"I'm honored to have been selected to guide the research and academic teams to ensure we are providing students, faculty and staff the technology they need," Czarnezki said. "It's an exciting and rapidly changing period for higher education and for how technology can be used to innovate, collaborate and increase efficiency."

Czarnezki will manage the research technology and academic technology teams and report to Steve Krogull, chief information officer. In this position, Czarnezki will be responsible for improving and optimizing institutional processes.

"I am looking forward to partnering with Ian to use technology to drive innovation and increase learning opportunities across our campus," Steve Krogull, chief information officer, said. "He has a great balance of operational focus and strategic vision. His significant background and expertise in higher education will help the university to better leverage our research data to find collaboration and funding opportunities."

Czarnezki has had a variety of roles in higher education administration for the past two decades at Clemons University, University of Central Florida, University of Texas Health Science Center and University of Missouri. Since 2015, he worked for Kansas State University in the Office of the Vice President for Research. He led a multiyear transformative initiative focused on achieving operational efficiencies by embracing technology, which included the deployment of a comprehensive sponsored research administration system. These efforts consolidated nine distinct systems into a single system providing a centralized source of information.

"I am both thankful and excited for the opportunity to work with the many talented people at the University of Arkansas. I look forward to engaging and collaborating with the campus community to continue the great progress the teams are making with research and academic technologies," Czarnezki said. "Innovative and bold research is happening at the U of A, and I'm eager to support the research and academic enterprises."

In his spare time, Czarnezki enjoys renovating older houses and running 5ks, 10ks and half marathons.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3 percent of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.