June 21, 2024
Coetzee appointed interim vice president for research
Following an internal search, Kansas State University has appointed Hans Coetzee, university distinguished professor of anatomy and physiology, as interim vice president for research, effective June 24.
Coetzee is currently associate dean for research and graduate programs and head of the department of anatomy and physiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
"We're excited to welcome Dr. Coetzee to the interim vice president for research role," President Richard Linton said. "His innovative expertise and exceptional research accomplishments will help us continue the exemplary strides K-State has made in driving transformational discovery, innovation and scholarship for Kansas and beyond."
Coetzee is an accomplished veterinarian researcher, with experience in mixed animal practice in the United Kingdom and pharmaceutical research and development at Norbrook Laboratories, Limited.
He began his career in academia at K-State as an assistant professor of clinical sciences in 2005, before leaving to serve as associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine at Iowa State University.
He returned to K-State in 2016 as head of the anatomy and physiology department in the College of Veterinary Medicine, later being named the college's associate dean for research and graduate programs in 2023. He is among the top 2% of cited researchers, per a 2020 study by Stanford University.
As a researcher, Coetzee's interests include developing methods to measure pain in livestock and practical analgesic drug regimens for use in farm animals, and he has published more than 220 peer-reviewed papers and has earned more than $22 million in extramural funding.
In addition to being a European Specialist in Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, Coetzee holds a specialist certificate in cattle health and production from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London, and dual board certification in the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology and the American College of Animal Welfare.
Coetzee is a member of the American Society of Animal Science, the American Dairy Science Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Royal Veterinary College.
Professional recognitions include the American Association of Bovine Practitioners' Award of Excellence, the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Award, the World Veterinary Association's Global Animal Welfare Award, and the World Buiatrics Congress and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health's Ruminant Well-being Achievement Award.
At K-State, Coetzee in 2022 was recognized as a university distinguished professor, K-State's highest honor for faculty, as well as a recipient of the Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award and the Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research.
Coetzee earned his Bachelor of Veterinary Science — the equivalent of a U.S. Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine — from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a doctoral degree in veterinary microbiology from Iowa State University.
"I am honored to be selected to serve as the interim vice president for research at Kansas State University," Coetzee said. "I am excited by the opportunities provided by the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan to support and grow research. My goal is to foster a collaborative and innovative research environment and to support faculty in accomplishing their goals in research and scholarship. I plan to work with all stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, promote interdisciplinary research initiatives and support the growth of our research community."
K-State will soon begin a national search for a permanent vice president of research to lead the university's efforts to develop and expand its portfolio of next-generation research and innovation.