John Keller, dean of the Graduate College and associate provost, has been appointed interim vice president for research and economic development, University of Iowa President J. Bruce Harreld announced.

Keller will begin his new role Oct. 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. Dan Reed, the current vice president for research and economic development, recently announced his decision to step down to focus on national research and competitiveness policy, as well as developing new approaches to computational science.

Keller, who has served as dean of the Graduate College and associate provost at the university since April of 2002 and held both posts in an interim capacity beginning in July of 2000, will maintain his current duties in addition to those of the interim VP position.

“Dean Keller has been a steady and consistent leader on our campus for nearly two decades,” Harreld says. “His clear-eyed vision of graduate education and the relationships between research, scholarship, and undergraduate education have added tremendous value to the university. I am exceptionally confident that John will lead this critical part of the university in a manner that will inspire excitement and trust as we continue to move the research and scholarship enterprise forward.”

“I am honored to serve the university in this interim capacity,” Keller says. “I have witnessed firsthand the strength of our research and scholarship, and I appreciate the opportunity to help move our institution forward.”