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In a move that underscores the University of New England’s commitment to fostering a robust research environment, ɫ����Ƶ has appointed Karen Eck, Ph.D., to associate provost for Research Development and Training, a new position created to increase research and scholarship at the University. Eck will assume this role on March 17.

Eck most recently served as assistant vice president for research at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia. At ODU, she collaborated with internal and external entities to support research development and policy, strategic planning, and partnerships spanning university, regional, and national initiatives.

As associate provost for Research Development and Training, Eck will, develop and oversee a ɫ����Ƶ faculty mentoring program, manage research space allocation, and supervise and expand the Fulbright Scholar program at ɫ����Ƶ. She will also coordinate the implementation of institutional multi-unit grants, oversee intramural grant programs, and assist in the development of ɫ����Ƶ graduate research studies.

“Karen’s experience in research development is exceptional,” said Gwendolyn Mahon, Ph.D., ɫ����Ƶ provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “Her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow our research programs and support our faculty.”

Since receiving its first COBRE grant in 2012, ɫ����Ƶ has bookended its strategic priority for research innovation and growth by leading Maine in NIH funding, securing $18.6 million over five years. ɫ����Ƶ launched the Portland Laboratory for Biotechnology and Health Sciences in 2023 and received a second , further solidifying its position as a regional leader in biomedical research and emerging hub for applied biotechnology.

Eck is a past president of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) and, in 2021, was named a NORDP fellow for sustained contributions to the organization and leadership in research development. She was recognized in 2024 as a fellow of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities Council for research leadership. Also that year, she represented ODU on two U.S. Department of State STEM Research and Education international delegations to develop research partnerships and recruit international students to undergraduate and graduate programs. 

A Fulbright Scholar, Eck holds a Ph.D. and a master’s in cognitive psychology from Kent State University and two bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University, Bloomington — one in psychology and the second in French. She held post-doctoral appointments in psycho- and neurolinguistics with the Mental Lexicon Research Project at McGill University and Université de Montréal, respectively.

In this role, Eck will report to Karen Houseknecht, Ph.D., who was recently promoted to vice president of Research at ɫ����Ƶ. 

Houseknecht has been instrumental in overseeing research growth and expanding research capacity across the University since she accepted the role of associate provost for Research and Scholarship in 2018, including cultivating interdisciplinary collaborations with external partners such as MaineHealth — the state’s largest network of hospitals and health care providers — and student involvement in research across various disciplines at ɫ����Ƶ.

Houseknecht is a pharmacologist in the ɫ����Ƶ College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maine’s only medical school and one of the top-ranked medical schools for research in the country. Her own research lies at the interface of neuroscience and endocrinology, focusing on understanding factors that regulate mood and metabolism, including diabetes. A prominent biomedical researcher, she received her Ph.D. from Cornell University and completed post-doctoral training as an Endocrine Fellow at the Beth Israel Hospital at Harvard Medical School.

In 2023, Houseknecht became a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Pharmacology within the College of Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid, where she spent four months conducting research on the mechanisms regulating metabolism and evaluating novel therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease, including the potential of using current diabetes medications to delay or prevent dementia.

“Karen Houseknecht’s promotion to vice president reflects her outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing research at ɫ����Ƶ,” Mahon said. “Under her guidance, we are confident that ɫ����Ƶ will continue to be a leader in research innovation. The addition of Karen Eck to our team will further strengthen ɫ����Ƶ’s ability to foster a dynamic research environment for our faculty and students and improve the health of people across Maine and the nation.”