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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 | Lisa Freeman

URA Board of Trustees

Lisa Freeman

President, Northern Illinois University

Lisa C. Freeman is 13th President of Northern Illinois University, joining the University in 2018. As President, Lisa C. Freeman works to support all aspects of the university’s mission, emphasizing NIU’s enduring commitments to promoting the social mobility of our students, producing high impact scholarships and engaging with our region. She has a deep commitment to equity and inclusion and strives to create a learning environment where students, faculty and staff from a wide range of backgrounds feel welcome and included. President Freeman also believes that relationships are resources, and seeks continually to strengthen NIU student opportunities, operational efficiency and scholarly pursuits through strategic partnerships.

Before her appointment in September 2018, President Freeman served as NIU’s Executive Vice President and Provost, providing administrative oversight and programmatic direction to Academic Affairs, Human Resources Services and Student Affairs. Freeman came to NIU in 2010 as NIU’s vice president for research and graduate studies and a professor of biology.

President Freeman also believes that relationships are resources, and seeks continually to strengthen NIU student opportunities, operational efficiency and scholarly pursuits through strategic partnerships.

Prior to joining NIU, Freeman spent 16 years at Kansas State University where she served in leadership and faculty roles, including associate dean for research and graduate programs for College of Veterinary Medicine, and associate vice president for innovation for K-State Olathe. In these roles, Freeman served as a principal investigator on research and training grants; taught courses in pharmacology and the responsible conduct of research; acted as a mentor to numerous graduate students, postdoctoral trainees and early-career faculty members; and was responsible for fostering partnerships across academia, industry and the public sector to promote educational attainment, economic engagement and workforce development.

Freeman earned a bachelor’s degree in 1981, then a master’s degree and a doctor of veterinary medicine in 1986, from Cornell University. She went on to earn a doctor of philosophy at The Ohio State University in 1989, and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. In 2004-05, Freeman was a Fellow of the American Council on Education hosted by the University at Buffalo.

To read her full bio click here

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