Colorado State University Names Assistant Vice President for Research

A Colorado State University professor of computer science and director of the Colorado Advanced Software Institute has been named assistant vice president for research at the university.

Anneliese von Mayrhauser will assume the half-time post early in August, working with faculty to manage large research projects and serving as Colorado State’s representative to such groups as the Colorado Institute for Research in Biotechnology, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Von Mayrhauser, who will continue to conduct research in computer science, will serve as the university’s patenting and licensing officer; encourage research-based work with industry through the Fort Collins Economic Development Corp.; help evaluate research and scholarship, graduate education, faculty productivity and instructional technology; promote faculty achievements; and promote Colorado State’s research capabilities.

Von Mayrhauser, selected in an internal search led by Thomas Sneider, associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences, replaces Ralph Smith, professor of microbiology, who is returning to that department to serve as interim head.

An experienced researcher with funding from federal and corporate sources, von Mayrhauser’s research interests are in software engineering, especially testing and software quality. She directs the Colorado Advanced Software Institute, an industry-university consortium that supports technology transfer for software.

"I am delighted that Dr. von Mayrhauser will be joining our effort to develop and promote the outstanding research of Colorado State," said Judson Harper, vice president for research and information technology, to whom von Mayrhauser will report. "She has proven experience in developing research agendas and opportunities, and she brings a strong background in collaborating on interdisciplinary projects. Those are exactly the talents we need in this post."

A Colorado State faculty member since 1991, von Mayrhauser previously taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and consulted for Motorola Inc. and AT&T Bell Laboratories.

She earned doctorate and master’s degrees in computer science from Duke University and a graduate degree from the Technische Universität in Karlsruhe, Germany. She has won a number of awards, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Distinguished Service Award in 1993.

Von Mayrhauser is active in several professional organizations, has served three times as vice president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society and currently is a member of its board of governors. She has published more than 100 papers on software and related topics.