Temple’s vice president for research will serve as board member and Finance Committee chair for the Southeastern Universities Research Association, as well as board member and chair of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions for Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

In 2023, Josh Gladden took the helm as Temple University’s vice president for research, a role in which he has focused on advancing innovative research strategies that benefit society at large. Building on that mission, Gladden was recently named to leadership roles with two prominent research organizations. He will serve as a board member and Finance Committee chair of the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) and as a board member and chair of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). 

“Organizations like SURA and ORAU are amazing platforms with decades of experience building and supporting large-scale collaborative efforts,” Gladden said. “With my new roles at these vital organizations, Temple is well positioned to contribute to national research priorities while expanding opportunities for our faculty and students.” 

SURA announced Gladden’s appointment in a Jan. 28 press release, while ORAU confirmed his election in an April 8 press release. Both organizations bring together universities, government agencies and industry partners to foster large-scale research, innovation initiatives and collaboration. 

SURA was started in 1980 by a small group of universities to bid on the construction and operation of what is today known as the Jefferson Lab, utilized worldwide for its unique particle accelerator. Today, SURA consists of 57 universities, with Temple joining as the most recent member. 

In addition to continuing to operate the Jefferson Lab, SURA promotes collaborations between its member institutions, government agencies and other researchers to advance transformative scientific research and support the next generation of investigators. 

Despite the name, SURA has grown to include high research activity universities from across the country. Members include the University of Delaware, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, George Mason University, Vanderbilt University, Texas A&M University and Indiana University. 

As finance chair, Gladden will grow SURA’s reach and navigate the uncertainty of the research funding landscape nationwide, SURA said in its press release.  

“He emphasizes SURA’s unique strengths in collaboration, stating that he will pull on the committee’s ‘different connections, different perspectives, and different wise owls’ to optimize SURA’s path forward financially in service of its mission,” the press release reads. 

Gladden also will serve as chair of the council for ORAU, a nonprofit organization that works with government agencies, universities and industry partners to advance the nation’s learning, health and scientific knowledge. Founded in 1946, ORAU brings together more than 170 higher education institutions and is recognized for developing innovative solutions through large-scale collaboration. 

ORAU’s board features faculty and leadership from institutions including the University System of Maryland, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, George Mason University, Purdue University and the University of Tennessee. 

Gladden joins both boards at a time when national research partnerships are playing an increasingly important role in addressing complex scientific and societal challenges. 

“Just as it is increasingly important for different disciplines to collaborate and advance solutions to the complex problems facing society, it is equally important for institutions to collaborate such that we pool our talent, our assets and our relationships to maximize the impact of university-based research and innovation and clearly demonstrate its value to society,” he said. “As Temple enters the next generation of its research mission, being part of these collaborative organizations at an institutional level will be critical.”