Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) announces the appointment of Dr. Anne M. Cizmar as associate dean of research administration. This newly created role is central to EKU’s strategic research initiative, aimed at building a holistic and scalable infrastructure to support the growth of sponsored research for faculty, staff and students across the university.
In this new position, Cizmar will oversee pre-award management, post-award administration and grant compliance. She will play a key role in enhancing EKU’s research environment through collaboration, transparency and innovation across all academic and administrative divisions.
“Part of our responsibility as a School of Opportunity is providing opportunities for learning and innovation through research,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “The associate dean of research administration role reflects our commitment to expanding research efforts and supporting faculty and students as they pursue meaningful discoveries at EKU.”
“My main goal is to foster a thriving research environment through collaboration with faculty and students,” said Cizmar. “This is an exciting opportunity to increase Eastern Kentucky University’s visibility and salience in research. I look forward to working with faculty and students from around campus to build a network of scholars applying for external grants.”
Cizmar earned a Ph.D. in government and politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she specialized in American politics and quantitative research methods. She joined the Department of Government at EKU in 2011 and was promoted to professor of political science in 2022. She served as the Master of Public Administration program coordinator from 2020 to 2023. She serves as an active member of the university community through various committee roles, including vice chair of the Essential Education Transformation Committee.
An accomplished scholar, Cizmar remains engaged in research focused on the American presidency, public opinion, political behavior and pedagogy. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Political Research Quarterly, Public Administration Quarterly, The Forum, Journal of Political Science Education and Politics and Gender. Her recent publications examine patterns of U.S. presidential appointments and a randomized trial of reading assessment types and their effects on student learning outcomes.
Throughout her tenure at EKU, Cizmar has been recognized with several prestigious awards for excellence in teaching and research, including the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, the High-Impact Practice Teaching Award, the Faculty Innovation in Teaching Award and the Dean’s Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award.
“The associate dean of research administration’s role is critical in the development of a culture and infrastructure that values research and creative endeavors and understands its ability to drive innovation and discovery, solve real-world problems, enhance teaching and boost economic growth,” said EKU Dean of Graduate Education and Research Administration Ryan Baggett. “Specifically, Associate Dean Cizmar will provide meaningful support to EKU’s faculty and students, while aligning activities with institutional strategic priorities.”
By A’Mya Kendrick
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