Simon J. Atkinson was named vice chancellor for research at UC Davis by Chancellor Gary S. May in October. He started in the role on November 15. Atkinson previously served as vice chancellor for research at the University of Kansas as well as at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.
Now with over 30 days in the new position, we asked Atkinson to share his thoughts on opportunities he sees for the research enterprise at UC Davis, his focus for the first 100 days and to shed some light on his approach to collaboration.
What most attracted you to joining UC Davis?
The breadth and significance of the research and scholarship, and the evident enthusiasm for cross-campus collaborations would be at the top of that list. These are a great foundation for UC Davis to grow the impact and reach of its discoveries. We hear a lot about the “wicked” problems facing us and threatening our futures. They’re the problems on which the “Grand Challenges” initiative and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals focus. They require solutions that can only be approached by interdisciplinary work and collaboration. UC Davis has both the expertise and the culture of collaboration to be a leader in responding.
What will your initial focus be for the first 100 days?
My initial focus will be getting to know my new colleagues and learning as much as I can about research and scholarship at UC Davis. This will include tours within the Office of Research and across the university. I am mapping out visits with our organized research units, core labs and Office of Research staff to learn about our opportunities and challenges. I am also meeting with partners across the Davis and Sacramento campuses to understand how we can best collaborate and help the research community thrive.
These conversations will provide important insight that will help guide our strategy for the future. I am already starting to see opportunities and challenges, but we need to be thoughtful and deliberate in deciding on next steps.
Are there specific opportunities or priorities that you are focused on?
Clearly, Aggie Square and Grand Challenges are major initiatives for the university with tremendous potential for impact. We should be fully engaged in both, and bring the expertise and experience of the Office of Research to the table to make both as successful as they can be. Another priority will be to identify ways to properly support the needs of our employees within the Office of Research and their ability to deliver optimal impact throughout the research enterprise. Beyond that, we need to find ways to be more successful with a wider range of funding agencies and with larger scale funding opportunities.
What do you see as the biggest shifts or opportunities in the macro environment that will heavily influence your strategy here at UC Davis?
Funding agencies are looking for proposals that draw a clear line from the proposed research to the impact on the agencies’ missions and priorities. We need to build new partnerships and reinforce existing ones to be able to take advantage of these opportunities. That means partnerships with other universities, industry, government and communities are much more important than they’ve ever been.
What would you like others to know about you in order to facilitate a strong working relationship?
I am naturally curious and collaborative. I would prefer to hear about issues directly so I can fully understand them in order to figure out the best way that I can help. I am an optimist that is always eager to find solutions, but also a pragmatist that understands the importance of the process and value of different perspectives.
I find great joy in helping people build teams that leverage unique strengths to achieve common goals.
What do you enjoy spending your time on outside of work?
I like to sing and will be looking for a choir to join. I’ve sung in choirs all my life, from small ensembles and church choirs to large choruses accompanying major symphonic works.
I also enjoy listening to music, biking, hiking, cooking (and eating!) and walks with our dog Maisie (a two-year-old English springer spaniel).
