Giovanello named associate dean for research and innovation

Kelly Giovanello is the College’s new associate dean for research and innovation.

Giovanello is the Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience and has been a member of the Carolina faculty since 2006.

A neuroscientist whose research uses behavioral, patient-based and functional neuroimaging approaches to investigate the neural basis of human memory, Giovanello has used several research cores at the UNC Biomedical Research Imaging Center, including human MRI, radiochemistry and radiopharmacy. She has collaborated with faculty from the schools of medicine, pharmacy and public health as well as across the College. She previously served as co-associate director of the imaging center, where she gained valuable experience on how research cores operate, the challenges research cores face, and creative solutions and opportunities for resolving those challenges.

In her home department, Giovanello was instrumental in developing and launching both a neuroscience minor (2015) and interdisciplinary neuroscience major (2018); these innovative programs now serve as a model for peer institutions.

The associate dean for research and innovation is a member of the dean’s senior leadership team and works closely with the senior associate deans in the College and with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovate Carolina, the UNC Institute for Convergent Science and other units throughout the University.

Giovanello succeeds Greg Copenhaver, who was named director of the Institute for Convergent Science.