September 24, 2020
Dorhout to serve as vice president for research at Iowa State University
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Vice President for Research Peter K. Dorhout, has been named vice president for research at Iowa State University. He will begin his tenure in Ames by Jan. 25, 2021.
Dorhout joined K-State in January 2012, serving as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry before being appointed vice president for research in 2016. In his four years as dean, he initiated the college’s $100 million Innovation and Inspiration fundraising campaign, led the creation of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, and helped launch two new academic departments: American ethnic studies and gender, women, and sexuality studies.
In his role as vice president for research at K-State, Dorhout reformed the university research compliance office, led the APLU Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation project, and led the yearslong project to transition to Cayuse SP, a fully online proposal development, tracking, submission and contracts management program to streamline the sponsored programs processes for faculty and staff. During Dorhout's tenure, the annual contracts and grants have increased extramural sponsored funding by 55%.
Dorhout also focused his efforts on creating partnerships with industry and the community, and launched a strategic plan, in conjunction with the K-State Foundation, the K-State Institute for Commercialization, and the K-State Research Foundation, to reimagine strategic corporate partnerships in an effort to attract companies, corporate research and jobs to Manhattan in advance of the opening of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Last year, K-State Innovation Partners was launched to create a one-stop shop for technology transfer, licensing and corporate research engagement for K-State faculty, staff and students.
"In my nine years at K-State, four as dean of Arts and Sciences and five as vice president for research, I feel that I have accomplished many of my goals of leading a great college and advancing the research enterprise toward its 2025 strategic goals," Dorhout said. "It has been my great pleasure to work with so many talented and passionate people at K-State. While returning to Iowa State will be a homecoming for us, I will always be K-State Proud."
Starting a new chapter in his personal and professional life, he returns to Ames where he served as a postdoc at the U.S. Department of Energy Ames Laboratory before starting his academic career in 1991. Along with being the new vice president for research, he will have a tenured appointment as professor of chemistry and as an Ames Laboratory affiliate scientist.