The University Record, March 8, 1999
Samors to join UNC; MacBain named to interim post
By Jane R. Elgass
Robert J. Samors, assistant vice president for research, has been named associate vice president for federal relations for the 16-campus University of North Carolina (UNC) system.
James C. MacBain, director of engineering research relations at the College of Engineering, has been named by Interim Vice President for Research Fawwaz Ulaby as interim assistant vice president for federal research relations on a half-time basis. He also will continue in his CoE role, on a half-time basis.
Samors joined the U-M in 1992 as government relations officer for research and technology transfer and was named assistant vice president in 1996.
In his new post, effective April 1, he will be responsible for coordinating the development and communication of federal strategies and initiatives for UNC, working with its vice president for public affairs and university advancement.
MacBain, Ulaby said, “is uniquely positioned to assume this interim role with his in-depth knowledge of strategic and tactical R&D functions, marketing of organizational programs for acquiring funding from government and industry, and consulting with various government agencies. His experience also extends into the technology transfer arena.”
At the College of Engineering, MacBain is responsible for coordinating research outreach and technology transfer activities and marketing the College’s technical capabilities and research products to industry and government. He has played a key role in the creation of a number of research centers and industrial partnerships, including centers in automotive modeling and simulation, flat panel displays and reconfigurable machining systems.
Prior to joining the U-M, MacBain was the director of the Ann Arbor Division of Nichols Research Corp. He also held posts at the Industrial Technology Institute and the Aero Propulsion Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
He holds a B.A. from the U-M and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Purdue University.
