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        • About Us

          URA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) academic consortium composed of over 94 premier research universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan headquartered in Washington, D.C. supporting government lab management and operation in the national interest.

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        • Member Universities

          URA fosters valuable university research partnerships through membership. URA presents members with research opportunities at national engineering and physics labs, engagement with laboratory leadership and management, and recognition of academic achievements.

        • Lab Management

          Since 1965 URA has been an integral part of the management of Fermilab, overseeing the management and operations of the lab and bringing the expertise of our 94 member universities to bear on the challenges facing the Fermilab.  URA supports scholars and interns doing research at Fermilab and recognizes outstanding contributions.  In 2007 URA became part of the organization that manages and operates Sandia National Laboratories and since then has worked to support the scientific and technical demands of Sandia by supporting external calibration of science, technology and engineering (ST&E) programs; aid in ST&E programs’ strategic planning; and assist in development of university partnerships and diverse workforce talent.

        • Science & Research Policy

          URA strives to engender an awareness of the current national science policy issues among its members and early career scientists. This is achieved through a variety of platforms at URA, including science policy and communication training, connecting scientists and policymakers, and policy town halls and workshops. URA’s goal is to facilitate effective science communication to promote the public’s understanding of scientific discoveries, foster trust in scientific institutions, and facilitate informed decision-making by policymakers and the public.

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        • High Energy Physics User Community

          URA has been a supporter, convener, and integral part of the high energy physics User Community since Fermilab’s creation. Currently approximately seventy-five percent of the university-based users at Fermilab come from URA members. URA members represent the best scientific expertise the nation has to offer. Through our leadership, oversight, and programs URA is committed to ensuring that the full range of expertise from around the Nation and the world contributes to Fermilab’s scientific challenges and the user and affiliate community remains the vital part of the lab’s research base that it has always been.

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Board of Trustees

Home | About Us | Leadership & Management | Board of Trustees | Harris Pastides

URA Board of Trustees

HARRIS PASTIDES

Distinguished President Emeritus, University of South Carolina

Served as the 28th president of the university, 2008-2019, and had retired with the rank of Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Distinguished President Emeritus. In May 2021, the University of South Carolina (USC) Board of Trustees appointed Harris Pastides to serve as Interim President of the University System until June 30, 2022.

Dr. Pastides earned a Master of Public Health and PhD. in Epidemiology from Yale University. He joined the University of South Carolina (USC) faculty in 1998, initially as Dean of the Arnold School of Public Health, and later as Vice President for Research and Health Sciences for the university.  During his eleven-year presidency at USC, the USC Honors College was recognized as the nation’s best public honors program, 47 undergraduate and graduate programs gained top national academic rankings, and a $1 billion capital campaign goal was surpassed.  More than 100,000 degrees were awarded during his tenure as president.

Pastides currently serves as the only non-physician member of the American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Trustees, chairs the Fulbright Program’s Council for the International Exchange of Scholars, and serves on the national Uber Safety Board.

During his eleven-year presidency at USC, the USC Honors College was recognized as the nation’s best public honors program, 47 undergraduate and graduate programs gained top national academic rankings, and a $1 billion capital campaign goal was surpassed.