KU hires new vice chancellor for research

James Tracy

James Tracy, who was the University of Kentucky’s vice president of research, has been named Kansas University’s vice chancellor for research.

Tracy will take over his new position April 1. He succeeds Steve Warren, who had been vice chancellor of research for seven years before stepping down in May last year.

“The University of Kansas has a mission to advance society through discovery and innovation,” said Jeffrey Vitter, provost and executive vice chancellor. “Jim Tracy has an outstanding background in university research administration, and he is a perfect fit to expand and energize scholarly achievement across all academic disciplines at KU.”

Tracy will oversee 10 research centers, two state surveys, two affiliated centers and a number of core research laboratories.

Tracy also will be a professor with tenure in KU’s department of pharmacology and toxicology.

While at the University of Kentucky, Tracy led research from 2007 to 2014. He oversaw the operation of Kentucky’s $360 million research activities.

Before joining KU, Tracy also spent 24 years at the University of Wisconsin in administrative positions and seven years at Case Western Reserve University as a research associate.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in biochemistry from Purdue University.