Kimberley McAllister appointed VP for Research, Scholarly Inquiry, and Creative Activity

A. Kimberley McAllister has been named inaugural Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry, and Creative Activity (VPRSICA), effective Sept. 1, 2024. McAllister comes from the University of California, Davis, where she currently serves as director of the Center for Neuroscience and Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior.

As VPRSICA, McAllister will provide strategic leadership and vision as Wake Forest enters an exciting new phase of continued growth of its research enterprise. She will support research within Wake Forest’s teacher-scholar model, align research priorities with the University’s academic mission and strategic framework, strengthen research infrastructure and compliance, and identify opportunities for collaboration within and beyond the University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kim McAllister,” said Provost Michele Gillespie, who chaired the search committee. “Kim is a visionary leader and an accomplished researcher who understands deeply the power of applied and translational research, scholarship and creative activity to transform lives. Her collaborative spirit, innovative mindset, and commitment to excellence make her the ideal person to inspire and support our phenomenal faculty and students in taking Wake Forest’s already strong teacher-scholar research profile to even greater heights.”

Dean Jackie Krasas, a search committee member, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Kim McAllister to Wake Forest. She brings extensive experience involving research, scholarship and creative activity. She will be an excellent partner with the College and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and I look forward to many collaborations.”

McAllister will hold a dual appointment as a professor in the Department of Biology and professor of Translational Neurosciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine. “Kim’s joint role spanning the University and Medical School opens up exciting new potential for cross-disciplinary partnerships,” said Dr. Ebony Boulware, dean of the School of Medicine. “Her breadth of experience as both a researcher and administrator uniquely positions her to catalyze collaborations that leverage the tremendous strengths of our biomedical research enterprise to benefit human health.”

Professor and Chair of Biology Erik Johnson said: “What a wonderful addition to Wake Forest. As a fellow neuroscientist, I can attest that McAllister’s record of scholarship is quite exceptional, and she enhances our institutional expertise in this area. She’s the perfect person to work within the Provost’s office and across the different schools and with diverse groups of faculty to help realize the institution’s strategic goals and initiatives.”

McAllister has spent nearly 25 years at UC Davis, providing extensive service and leadership. As director of the Center for Neuroscience, she has overseen dramatic growth in research funding, philanthropic support, and interdisciplinary initiatives. Her research, continuously funded by the NIH for more than 20 years, has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the mechanisms of both synapse formation in the developing brain and synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease. She has also been a pioneer in the field of neuroimmunology, identifying new roles for classical immune molecules at synapses in neurons and mediating the effects of maternal infection in predisposing offspring to autism and schizophrenia.

“I am deeply honored to be joining Wake Forest University at such a pivotal and promising time,” said McAllister. “While I am immensely grateful to my UC Davis colleagues and proud of all we have accomplished together, I could not be more excited to embrace this new challenge. Wake Forest’s genuine commitment to its motto of Pro Humanitate, its innovative spirit, and its unique model balancing the intimacy of a liberal arts college with the vitality of a research university makes it a truly special place. I look forward to working hand-in-hand with Wake Forest’s incredible community of scholars to advance a bold vision for research, scholarly inquiry, and creative activity that makes a real difference in the world.”

McAllister earned her BS in Biology from Davidson College and her PhD in Neurobiology from Duke University. Prior to joining UC Davis, she completed postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute. At UC Davis, she published over 80 manuscripts and chapters, was awarded 25 grants, and trained 10 graduate students, 13 postdocs and over 60 undergraduate researchers. McAllister is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors and is a highly sought-after speaker and scientific advisor.