Interim Associate Vice President of Research & Sponsored Programs
Barbara Taylor, Ph.D.
Effective July 1, 2024, Dr. Barbara Taylor will serve as the Interim AVP of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). Dr. Taylor is currently the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. She was a first-generation college graduate who went on to get her PhD in Marine Zoology from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and had further training as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Calgary Medical School and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.
In her first faculty position at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), she confirmed her passion for undergraduate research. At UAF, Dr. Taylor served as the inaugural director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, the interim director of the University Honors program, and was awarded a prestigious NIH BUILD grant – a biomedical research student training grant.
Since joining CSULB in 2016, Dr. Taylor has sustained her commitment to undergraduate research; she currently leads a Keck-funded program to enhance retention in STEM majors by infusing introductory science courses with authentic research experiences. At The Beach, she discovered a passion for team-based and interdisciplinary research. Through her position on our University Research Advisory Committee, she has been a strong advocate for our University Multidisciplinary Award program. Dr. Taylor is also an enthusiastic member of Beach 2030 initiatives, both within CNSM and at the campus level, where she serves in the sub-group for the Advance Partnerships for Public Good action zone. Aligned with that role, she is also part of CSULB’s participation in a CSU5+ initiative to plan a research and workforce development program that partners with industry to address the needs of California’s clean hydrogen energy initiative.
When reflecting on her new interim role, Dr. Taylor shares, “I am thrilled to begin this new chapter in my career. Being Interim Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs at CSULB presents an exciting opportunity to drive positive change, foster innovation, and have a meaningful impact on the research landscape both within the university and in the broader community.”
We know Dr. Taylor will continue to promote and uplift a culture of research here at The Beach, and we welcome her in this new interim role.
