Overby, who holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and master's and doctoral degrees in engineering administration, also has a secondary appointment as professor in the College of Engineering.
Overby formerly served as the senior assistant vice president for regulatory affairs and the senior vice president for research services in the Office of the Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies at Michigan State University (MSU). He also was a full adjunct professor in the MSU Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, where he taught a senior-level capstone course in systems engineering, as well as an independent study course in system engineering.
“Cordell Overby brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a research administrator, professor, and industrial manager to the University of Delaware,” Thoroughgood said. “He has significant expertise in the regulations and policies that affect university research, and he is eager to help address the challenges and opportunities associated with UD's growing research enterprise,” she noted. “We are delighted to welcome him to our team.”
“I'm really thrilled to be at the University of Delaware,” Overby said. “It's a great school and an exciting place to be, with a strong commitment to excellence and ethics in academics and research. I'm looking forward to meeting with the faculty and helping them achieve their goals in research and scholarship through the activities of this office. I believe the faculty are the lifeblood of an academic institution,” he said. “They set the research agenda, and we are here to help them move forward.”
As associate provost for research and graduate studies at UD, Overby will help oversee all facets of UD's current $152 million research enterprise, from ensuring compliance with applicable University, state, and federal laws and policies, to developing programs to support the faculty in the establishment of research centers and interdisciplinary consortia, to protecting the University's intellectual property through patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
During Overby's tenure in the Office of the Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies at MSU, the institution's research expenditures grew from $222 million in fiscal year 1998-99 to $358 million in fiscal year 2005-06.
Overby oversaw a number of critical functions at MSU, including animal care, environmental health and safety, export controls and trade sanctions, human research protection, compliance and standards, and regulatory-related education and training.
His and his staff's efforts helped seed continuing university research and development expenditure growth, as well as the attainment of MSU's first human research protection program accreditation by the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs. This non-profit organization's “gold seal” signifies that organizations are committed to the most comprehensive protection for research participants and the highest quality research.
Additionally, the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care awarded campus-wide accreditation for MSU's animal care programs during Overby's tenure.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States placed tighter controls on the export of information, technology, and services to countries under U.S. boycott, trade sanctions, and embargoes, and to foreign nationals inside the United States. Failure to comply with these laws can result in serious consequences, including penalties of up to $1 million in fines and up to 10 years in prison per violation.
At MSU, Overby played a leadership role in responding to these regulations, guiding the institution and its researchers through often uncharted territory.
Also under the auspices of the vice president for research and graduate studies at MSU, Overby worked closely with MSU associate deans for research and graduate studies to oversee the development of and central organization of analytical core facilities, and direct the expenditures for intramural research grant programs, research proposal matching funds, new faculty start-ups, faculty retention, and major research-related infrastructure. During Overby's tenure, primary among the group's achievements were the establishment of a 900-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy facility and a campus-wide genomic research support facility.
Prior to his career in higher education, Overby worked for 18 years in industry in technical management and design engineering positions on projects primarily funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy. He also worked extensively with the Argonne, Jet Propulsion, NASA Lewis, and Sandia National Laboratories.
His projects included program coordination and technical assessments for vehicle propulsion and battery systems for the U.S. Department of Energy's Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Program while employed by The Aerospace Corporation; the system design, manufacture, and cost control of the instrument panel and climate control systems for the Ford Motor Company's Escort Program; and the mechanical design and structural and thermal analysis of several fire control and air warning radar systems for the Westinghouse Corporation, Electronic Systems Group.
A native of Washington, D.C., Overby earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the George Washington University.
Overby's office is in 208 Hullihen Hall. He may be reached at overbyc@udel.edu.
Article by Tracey Bryant
Photo by Tyler Jacobson