NDSU interim vice president for research and creative activity named
Heidi Grunwald has been NDSU’s associate vice president for research and faculty development.
NDSU has appointed Heidi Grunwald as interim vice president for research and creative activity.
Grunwald, who began her new role this week, has been serving as NDSU’s associate vice president for research and faculty development. In that role, she led efforts to expand faculty support, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and increase the university’s competitiveness for federal research funding.
Her leadership has helped secure multimillion-dollar proposals, launch faculty development programs and promote a culture of innovation across campus.
NDSU continues to solidify its standing as a leading research institution. In fiscal year 2023, the university set a record with $190.3 million in research expenditures, its fifth consecutive year of record growth, ranking 97th among 420 public universities nationwide.
As a Carnegie R1 institution, one of only 146 nationally with the highest level of research activity, NDSU integrates rigorous academic discovery with meaningful real-world impact.
The university's research spans critical areas such as agriculture, cybersecurity, energy and water security, materials science, and life sciences, supporting innovation with a statewide presence that includes seven research and extension centers.
“Dr. Grunwald’s deep expertise and collaborative approach will provide strong continuity for our research enterprise as we prepare for a national search for the permanent vice president,” NDSU President David Cook said in an email to campus. “NDSU is fortunate to have Bison ready to step into critical roles and lead when opportunities arise.”
Before joining NDSU, Grunwald held senior research leadership positions at Temple University, where she directed the Institute for Survey Research and co-founded Legal Science, LLC. She has more than two decades of experience in research development, public health law and data-driven policy evaluation.
She earned her doctorate in higher education from the University of Michigan and holds advanced degrees in statistics and mathematics education.
Grunwald succeeds Colleen Fitzgerald, who will join Hofstra University in September as senior vice provost for research and creative activities at the private research institution in New York.