The Office of the Vice President for Research has selected Christa Johnson as its new associate vice president for research administration. Her appointment begins May 1.
In her new role, Johnson will serve as a key member of the OV
PR’s leadership team as well as an advocate and an advisor to the vice president for research and operational activities.
She will interface with central administration, colleges and other agencies on behalf of the OVPR and also will lead the implementation of programs and the deployment of resources to strengthen CSU’s research administrative support, especially in the areas of sponsored programs and research services.
“We are fortunate to welcome Dr. Johnson to the Office of the Vice President for Research as her qualifications and endeavors align with not only the mission of the OVPR, but of CSU’s land-grant mission,” said Alan Rudolph, CSU’s Vice President for Research.
About Johnson
During her tenure at Washington University in St. Louis, Johnson led several process and quality-improvement initiatives for research administration, including consolidating and streamlining contracting and grants processes in the Office of Sponsored Research Services.
A graduate of Stanford University, Johnson earned a joint-Ph.D. in humanities and German Studies.
Prior to joining Washington University, she served as associate dean for research at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where her areas of responsibility included pre-award grants and contracts operations, all areas of legal and ethical compliance, including the Institutional Review Board, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Responsible Conduct of Research, Conflict of Interest and export controls and assisting with graduate program review.
Johnson is an active member of the Federal Demonstration Partnership, the Council on Government Relations, and the National Council of University Research Administrators. She is a recipient of several awards and has presented at more than 50 national and regional meetings and workshops.
Johnson has served on numerous National Council of University Research Administrators and Federal Demonstration Partnership committees, co-chaired, among others, the NCURA Pre-Award Research Administration Conference national meeting and was recently elected to the NCURA Nominations and Leadership Development Committee.
Johnson also has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in historical studies and comparative literature at both Southern Illinois and Washington University.
