Javed Ali will join the Office of the Vice President for Research where he will help lead the university's efforts to advance safe, secure and compliant research across its campuses.
Ali, who currently serves as an associate professor of practice at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, has been named assistant vice president for research security for a three-year term starting Jan. 1.
In this newly created role, Ali will oversee the operations of the new Research Security Coordinating Center and will foster and maintain close working relationships between existing U-M research security and compliance offices and other security-related areas. A main focus will be to ensure a comprehensive approach to evaluating and enhancing research security.
"The research landscape is constantly changing," Ali said. "The University of Michigan is committed to identifying areas of improvement and opportunities for collaboration, both of which are critical to the success of our research enterprise. I am excited to play a part in moving this work forward and reinforcing our dedication to secure, safe and compliant research."
At the Ford School, Ali teaches courses on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, national security law and policy.
Previously, Ali has held positions in the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While at the FBI, he held senior roles on joint duty assignments at the National Intelligence Council and the National Counterterrorism Center, and the National Security Council.
Ali received his bachelor's degree in political science from U-M before obtaining his juris doctor from the University of Detroit Law School. Ali also earned a master of arts in international relations from American University.
"Javed has been a valued member of the Ford School faculty since joining us in 2021, inspiring students through his popular courses on counterterrorism and cybersecurity and contributing his expertise to the broader community," said Celeste Watkins-Hayes, dean of the Ford School. "We are delighted that he will bring his deep expertise in national security to this important new role and help strengthen research security across the University of Michigan."
As assistant vice president for research security, Ali will review federal and state updates and other resource materials to ensure U-M has a comprehensive and up-to-date approach for evaluating and enhancing research security. He will also conduct risk assessments and continuous monitoring processes, implementing corrective actions and improvement plans, as needed.
"As a leading public research institution, research security has always been a top priority," said Patricia Hurn, interim vice president for research and innovation. "But there is always room for improvement and innovation. Professor Ali will bring incredible knowledge and experience to OVPR to ensure our teams across campus have what they need to conduct secure and compliant research."
Written by Kate Barns, OVPR
