New Associate Vice President for Research Development and Support
We are pleased to announce that Thomas John Balk, Ph.D., has been named Associate Vice President for Research Development and Support (AVP-RDS). He will assume the role on July 1.
The AVP-RDS reports directly to the Vice President for Research (VPR) and serves as a central figure in steering strategic research initiatives such as the Research Priority Area (RPA) program and VPR-supported grant mechanisms (seed grants, equipment grants, etc.), managing core facilities, and overseeing multidisciplinary centers and institutes reporting to the VPR. This leadership role is instrumental in aligning various research activities with the university’s strategic goals, enhancing operational efficiencies, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across campus. The AVP-RDS will collaborate with the campus research community to identify needs and opportunities, propose new initiatives to the VPR, and assist the VPR in implementation.
Dr. Balk is the William T. Bryan Professor of Materials Engineering in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. He has served as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Pigman College of Engineering since 2018, director of the Electron Microscopy Center since 2010, and he has directed the Materials Science Research Priority Area since 2023. Before joining UK in 2004, Dr. Balk served as a visiting scientist and staff scientist at the Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, in Stuttgart, Germany. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
As a principal investigator, Dr. Balk has been funded by multiple sponsors including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy, Office of Naval Research, Army Research Office, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He leads a multi-institutional project, funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), to develop novel first-wall materials to withstand the harsh conditions of a fusion reactor environment. His research group works to understand structure-property relationships in the behavior of metals, alloys and ceramics, with characterization of advanced materials as the cross-cutting aspect of his research program.
Dr. Balk’s honors include the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Faculty Achievement Award, the Pigman College of Engineering Awards for Excellence in Research and Excellence in Service, the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Teaching, and he received his program’s Outstanding Materials Engineering Teacher Award 10 times.
We look forward to working with Dr. Balk in this new role.
