Bloedel to step down from vice provost for research post at Iowa State

AMES, Iowa -- Dr. James Bloedel, who has been Iowa State University's vice provost for research since 2000, will leave that position Sept. 1 to return to the professorate.

Bloedel will join the faculty in the departments of Health and Human Performance and Biomedical Sciences, where he will continue his research in the area of motor learning and motor control.

"Jim Bloedel has been an extremely valuable member of Iowa State's administrative team," said Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy. "Under his leadership, the university has experienced strong growth in research funding, and Jim has significantly increased the effectiveness of our technology transfer and economic development activities. I thank him for his outstanding service, and I look forward to his continuing contributions as a member of the Iowa State faculty."

The vice provost for research is responsible for the coordination and administration of research, technology transfer and economic development. Sponsored funding has increased every year during Bloedel's administration, to a record high of $274 million in grants, contracts and cooperative agreements during fiscal year 2004.

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Ben Allen said he will soon appoint a search committee to fill the vice provost for research vacancy. He expects to name a successor by the end of the calendar year. .

Prior to joining Iowa State, Bloedel directed the neurobiology division at the Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, and had been a research professor in the department of physiology at the University of Arizona. He also has held various research, academic and administrative positions at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Bloedel received a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.; and a Ph.D. in physiology and an M.D. from the University of Minnesota.