Task Force Charter

The Research, Discovery, and Innovation Task Force will focus on assessing the research lifecycle to identify and understand opportunities for integration that will yield increased research collaboration, propel new areas of research, and support the attainment of research recognition. The Research, Discovery, and Innovation Task Force will also focus on asset mapping and evaluating strengths of existing supporting infrastructure (e.g., processes, policies, roles & responsibilities, organizational units, technologies) at both institutions to make recommendations about infrastructure necessary to achieve the desired research outcomes as an integrated entity.

Task Force Updates

Members are holding listening and input sessions with internal and external audiences to gather insights for developing our new university brand narrative. Concurrently, our brand consultant, Prophet, is conducting brand audits of peer institutions and synthesizing audience perception research from both UTSA and UTHSA.

With approval from the Integrated Executive Committee, the task force has selected a highly-respected national branding agency partner, Prophet, to develop our world-class brand narrative, engage stakeholders and roll out a high-impact, national awareness campaign.

Members are selecting a pre-qualified national branding agency partner to assist us with our world-class narrative, developing a scope of work and timelines, and researching integrated brand best practices at peer institutions.


Task Force Members

Task Force Co-Chairs

Jennifer Potter, PhD
Senior Vice President for Research
Heather Shipley, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Members

UT Health San Antonio

Manzoor Bhat, PhD
Vice Dean for Research, Long School of Medicine
Claudia Delgado
Associate Vice President, Research Administration
Ken Hargreaves, DDS, PhD
Director, Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research
Laurence Morel, PhD
Chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine
Vasan Ramachandran, MD
Dean, School of Public Health
Patrick Sung, DPhil
Director, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute
Elena Volpi, MD, PhD
Director, Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies

UTSA

Eric Brey, PhD
Dean of the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
Jenny Hsieh, PhD
Professor and Chair, Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology and Director, Brain Health Consortium
Jianwei Niu, PhD
Dean of University College
Stephanie Santorico, PhD
Dean, College of Sciences
Lori Schultz
Senior Associate Vice President for Research Administration
Erica Sosa, PhD
Associate Dean for Research Success, College for Health, Community and Policy

Timeline

The Research, Discovery, and Innovation Task Force launched in February 2025.