Women in Business  October 30, 2023

Moseley named VP for research at CSU

FORT COLLINS – Cassandra Moseley, who has been an administrator and researcher for 20 years at the University of Oregon, has been named vice president for research at Colorado State University.

CSU President Amy Parsons acknowledged Moseley’s appointment on Monday in a message to the campus community, stating that Moseley will begin her new role Jan. 8.

The appointment follows a six-month nationwide search.

“Colorado State University continues to see record-breaking numbers in sponsored project expenditures, totaling $498 million in the last fiscal year,” said Parsons in the message. “With Dr. Moseley’s strategic leadership and outstanding track record of campus collaboration, we can look forward to the continued expansion of CSU’s research portfolio and to the advancement of the university as a top-tier research institution.”

Moseley will succeed Christa Johnson, who has served as interim vice president for research since July 1, when she replaced Alan Rudolph, who retired. Johnson became the first woman — and Moseley will be the second — to lead the entity that oversees CSU’s research enterprise.

“As an executive in the division for the past eight years, Dr. Johnson brought stability and experience to the role,” Parsons said.

Moseley will oversee the university’s research, discovery and creative artistry portfolio, working in partnership with the president, provost, deans, vice presidents and the campus community. Moseley will report directly to the provost and executive vice president and will serve as a member of the cabinet and executive leadership team.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Colorado State as the next vice president for research,” said Moseley in a prepared statement. “I am so looking forward to working with the campus community to develop initiatives that advance this fantastic university’s research and innovation goals.”

Moseley is a research professor in the Institute for Resilient Communities, Organizations and Environments at the University of Oregon. There, she also has served in a number of administrative leadership roles, including vice provost for academic operations and strategy.

Prior to joining the office of the provost, she was in the office of research and innovation for eight years, most recently in the role of interim vice president for research and innovation. As UO’s chief research officer, Moseley oversaw multidisciplinary research centers and institutes; strategic research initiatives and partnerships; research infrastructure and administration; compliance and regulatory environment; and innovation and commercialization efforts.

Moseley’s academic expertise is in wildfire and climate resilience, rural communities and national forest policy. She has studied the changing face of wildfire management in the West and has a particular focus on how natural resource policies affect rural communities, businesses and workers. Moseley chaired the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Research Advisory Council, sat on the executive committee and was the liaison between the Council on Research and the Council on Government Affairs for the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. She was also a founding member of the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition and has testified before Congress and the Oregon State Legislature multiple times.

Moseley earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and government from Cornell University and her master’s degree and doctoral degree in political science from Yale University.

The search committee, chaired by Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences James Pritchett, conducted a search that yielded a large pool of candidates. The selection process included hundreds of faculty, staff, students and university supporters who participated in search forums and meetings, and who provided input to the committee.

“What a pleasure it is to welcome Dr. Moseley to Colorado State University,” said Pritchett. “Dr. Moseley rose to the top of a highly qualified candidate pool as part of a systematic and rigorous search process. I tip my cap to the search committee, which worked collaboratively and thoroughly when recruiting, evaluating and hosting the candidates.”

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