Sewell elected to APLU Council on Research

Friday, December 13, 2024

Media Contact: Sydney Trainor | Communications and Media Relations Specialist | 405-744-9782 | sydney.trainor@okstate.edu

Continuing the land-grant mission to broaden the reach of research at Oklahoma State University, Vice President for Research Kenneth Sewell was recently elected to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Council on Research Executive Committee.  

The executive committee is comprised of three cohorts of senior research officers, those at the vice president, provost or chancellor of research level. Each cohort of eight members is elected for a three-year term by COR members.  

Dr. Sewell will serve a three-year term as part of the Class of 2027 cohort. 

“I am honored to be elected by my peers around the country to serve on the COR Executive Committee,” Sewell said. “It allows me to represent OSU’s interests on the national stage, while also providing me a unique avenue of ‘giving back’ to a professional community that has supported my professional development over the past 15 years.”  

Dr. Irem Turmer, vice president for research and innovation at Oregon State University, will serve as the 2024-25 committee chair, leading the 24-person committee as it works to address emerging challenges in the research enterprise, and continues to support the vital role of research in public universities. 

“We are excited to have Kenneth join the Council on Research Executive Committee,” Turmer said. “The committee provides an opportunity for vice presidents and chancellors for research to share information and advice on common issues and university practices, as well as to develop understanding and strategy in response to government policies and regulations affecting research and innovation. As the 2025 chair of the Council on Research, I look forward to working with Kenneth toward these goals.”  

Sewell will serve among the ranks of other research leadership from universities such as the University of California-Berkeley, Colorado State University, University of California-Irvine, and fellow Big 12 Conference schools: the University of Utah and Arizona State University. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kenneth Sewell to the APLU Council on Research Executive Committee,” said Debbie Altenburg, APLU vice president for research policy and advocacy. “The COR Executive Committee plays a vital role in helping public research universities understand and build strategies in response to federal policies and regulations affecting research and innovation, leveraging the extraordinary research at these institutions for the public good. We look forward to the insight and experience that Dr. Sewell will bring to the council.”