Research

David V. Rosowsky, Ph.D.David Rosowsky

David Rosowsky served as vice president for research at Kansas State University from May 2021 through July 2024.

The VPR at K-State oversees all research and economic development activities at the university. Vice President Rosowsky served as the university’s chief research officer, providing leadership and expertise in fostering a campus environment that promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts and produces high-quality research and scholarly work. Rosowsky encouraged and facilitated the integration and enhancement of research, scholarly and creative activities across the university’s colleges and multiple research centers and led university-wide strategic research growth activities. As VPR, Rosowsky also led the university’s economic development activities. In addition to driving K-State’s bold and ambitious Economic Prosperity Plan, Rosowsky chaired the board of K-State Innovation Partners, K-State’s hub of corporate engagement, technology commercialization and economic development.

The Office of the Vice President for Research is a team of highly experienced research administration professionals. Reporting directly to VPR Rosowsky were:

  • Senior associate vice president for research development.
  • Associate vice president for sponsored programs.
  • Associate vice president for research compliance.
  • Associate vice president for research, director of the Biosecurity Research Institute.
  • CEO of K-State Innovation Partners (KSIP).
  • Executive director of operations and chief of staff.
  • Director of core facilities.
  • Director of strategic research communications.
  • Director of Comparative Medicine Group (CMG) and attending veterinarian.
  • Facility security and research security officer.
  • Executive assistant to the VPR.

Excerpted from K-State’s announcement of Rosowsky’s appointment in 2021, with key areas of responsibility shown in bold:

“We are pleased to welcome David Rosowsky to K-State with his proven track record and his passion for the land-grant mission," said Richard Myers, university president. "His background in higher education aligns well with our strategic direction as we continue to raise our national and international profile as a major research institution. He is an innovator and accomplished communicator who can help drive focus and visibility for our research and economic development efforts."

-Richard Myers, President of Kansas State University, and former
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George W. Bush

Rosowsky reported to Myers and was a member of the president's cabinet. He was responsible for encouraging and facilitating the integration and enhancement of research, scholarly and creative activities across the university's colleges and multiple research centers, and lead university-wide strategic research growth activities. He provided leadership for the acquisition of research funding, the planning and development of academic research space, patenting and commercialization efforts, the incubation of new companies and recruitment of corporate research partners, and guiding public outreach.

As vice president for research, Rosowsky had administrative responsibility for units that support the university's research infrastructure. Several of the university's independent, interdisciplinary research facilities and research support facilities, including the Biosecurity Research Institute, the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, K-State Innovation Partners, the Biotechnology Core Facility and the Electronics Design Laboratory, also reported to Rosowsky.

Soon after arriving at K-State, following listening sessions with faculty, staff, department chairs, deans, administrators, VPR Rosowsky sat down with his leadership team to develop a concise set of “We Will” statements for the office. The goal was to articulate and affirm the office’s shared commitment to serving, enabling, and recognizing those engaged in research and scholarly activity throughout the university. This was displayed prominently in all OVPR offices:

We Will statements

In addition to overseeing all activities, initiatives, policies, facilities, and protocols around research, scholarship and creative activity at K-State, Rosowsky oversaw the university’s economic development efforts. In both arenas (research and economic development), Rosowsky had responsibility for setting goals, executing strategy, generating support, engaging constituents, and achieving results. This was done by

  1. Establishing clear, measurable, trackable, and reportable metrics and milestones.
  2. Ensuring highly effective (regular, timely, authentic, and transparent) communication with all constituent groups.

Rosowsky is known for being a gifted communicator, engaging speaker and compelling advocate.

Rosowsky also had responsibility for leading and driving the university’s ambitious Research Growth Plan, created in 2022 and launched in 2023, to underpin and animate the university’s Next-Gen K-State strategic plan — specifically the goal of increasing research expenditures 50% by 2030. The plan was built around (a) strategic investments, (b) building support structures for faculty, and (c) enabling the success of investigator teams. Over his tenure, research expenditures increased 25% from $180M to more than $225M annually, well on its way to achieving and surpassing the 50% goal by 2030.

Perhaps the most ambitious economic development initiative led by Rosowsky was K-State’s bold Economic Prosperity Plan, developed in direct response to a request from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR). This request was made of all three of the state’s research universities and K-State’s plan was hailed by KBOR as the model plan, the exemplar, and the “gold standard.”

The 10-year goals of K-State’s Economic Prosperity Plan were as simple as they were bold:

  1. Bring more than $3B in new investment into the State of Kansas.
  2. Create 3,000 new jobs.

The plan has four focus areas:

  1. Food and agricultural systems innovation.
  2. Digital agriculture and advanced analytics.
  3. Biosecurity and biodefense.
  4. “K-State 105,” a new model for engaging with all 105 counties in Kansas to lift people, families, business, and communities through innovation and economic development.

As of 2024, the plan had generated 1,699 jobs, with an additional 866 jobs announced or in the pipeline, plus $1.9B in secured or planned investments, well on its way to achieving and exceeding the original goals.

For more information:

“State of Opportunity” Economic Prosperity Plan website.