Gwendolyn Mami brings 10 years of experience as OSP director at Texas Southern University.

The Office of Sponsored Programs has expanded its name and, for the first time since May 2007, will have a permanent director.

Gwendolyn Mami is slated to take the reins as executive director of the newly named Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP) in December. Mami was director of the Office of Sponsored Programs at Texas Southern University for the past 10 years. She was selected after a lengthy national search process.

“This was the third national search for this position,” says Larry Johnson, director of the Center for Math, Science, and Environmental Education and professor of mathematical sciences, who has served as interim co-director of the OSRP since January 2008 and chaired the search committee for a permanent director. The first two searches were held in 2007. “The third time proved to be the charm. This time we had some excellent candidates from which to choose.”

Mami, who holds a J.D. from the Bates College of Law at the University of Houston and a master of arts in urban studies from Trinity University in San Antonio, is “highly qualified for the job,” Johnson says. “She has 10 years of experience running an office of this type.”

On a one-day whirlwind tour of campus on Oct. 13, Mami said she’s excited about working at Metro State because it "affords an opportunity to not only learn but to apply skills in a diverse setting.”

Mami says her one of her goals as OSRP executive director is to enhance external funding and to facilitate collaboration among academic units. “The size of the faculty and the student body lend themselves well to the pursuit of research and funding,” she says.” Focusing on the core mission of teaching and outreach are also top priorities.”

The office’s name change, adding research to its title, was made to reflect an expanded view of what the office does, according to Johnson.

In April 2007, the office was moved organizationally from Academic Affairs to Institutional Advancement. In May 2007, Akbarali Thobhani returned from a 2003 retirement to be its interim director. In January 2008, Johnson and Kamran Sahami, associate professor of physics, became interim co-directors.

“We’re pleased that (Mami) accepted the position,” Johnson says, “and we look forward to working with her.”