Call for Nominations: Co-Director, UC Davis Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine

As one of the current Co-Directors of the UC Davis Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine is stepping down (effective July 31, 2025), we are placing this call for nominations and self-nominations for a new Co-Director, with preference given to faculty from the School of Medicine, in order to maintain holistic representation of colleges/schools in the leadership. Carolynn Patten, PhD, PT has served as one of the center’s founding co-directors and she co-led the grassroots Neuroengineering and Medicine Initiative before that. We thank her for her selfless dedication to strengthening neuroengineering at UC Davis over the past 7 years and wish her the best in her new role at University of Washington.

Eligibility

• Faculty who are members of the Academic Senate

Process

1. The Steering Committee meeting on June 24, 11am will provide an open forum for potential nominees to ask questions about the role of the co-director. (Contact Gabriela Lee at gmlee@ucdavis.edu for Zoom information)
2. Submit nominations and self-nominations to Associate Director Gabriela Lee via email (gmlee@ucdavis.edu) by July 8, 2025, to include:
   • CV
   • Brief statement of interest (0.5-1 page)
3. The Associate Director contacts nominees to confirm their willingness to serve if elected.
4. Nominees will give presentations to the Steering Committee during the July 22 meeting (15 minutes/presentation).
5. Nominees will be voted on by anonymous ballot to either elect new Co-Director (if more than one nominee) or confirm new Co-Director (if only one nominee). At least 50% of the Steering Committee must vote by July 31 and the majority vote wins. If 50%+ have not voted by this date, voting is extended until at least 50% of the committee has voted.

Additional Information About the Center and the Co-Director Role

The UC Davis Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine (CNEAM) promotes neurological health and extends human capacity to benefit society; it conducts research, education, and stakeholder engagement, from discovery to translation of systems that interface with the brain and the body. The Center is comprised of faculty, students, and other researchers from the College of Engineering, School of Medicine, College of Biological Sciences, College of Letters & Science. The goals of the center are:

• Build connections among researchers, centers, institutes, colleges, and schools on campus as well as between UC Davis and other organizations, federal agencies and companies, and the community at large by leveraging the extraordinary potential and scientific assets at UC Davis.
• Lead convergent research that brings together engineers, scientists, clinicians, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, public servants, ethicists, social scientists, and other stakeholders to solve problems that make a difference in people’s lives.
• Apply & translate discovery that repairs, restores, and augments human capacity.
• Educate the next generation of engineers, scientists, and clinicians in the highly interdisciplinary field of neuroengineering.

The Center is led by 3 Co-Directors, currently representing the College of Engineering (Erkin Șeker), School of Medicine (Carolynn Patten), and College of Biological Sciences (Jochen Ditterich), who share the functions and responsibilities listed below on a volunteer basis. The Co-Directors and Associate Director, with consultation from members of the Steering Committee, develop annual and long-term plans for the Center, which are discussed with and approved by university leadership. At the time of this call, the Administrative Coordinating Council of Deans (ACCD) is considering providing support for CNEAM for the upcoming academic year.

The leadership functions and responsibilities shared by the Center Co-Directors include:

1. Supporting and promoting the Center research thrusts
2. Continuing to develop the Center’s education mission
3. Fundraising
4. Continuing to develop the Center seminar series and research symposium
5. Supporting and promoting student activities
6. Fostering university relations
7. Creating opportunities for external relations (corporate affiliates, community outreach, external advisory board)

The process above follows the center's bylaws, which are hyperlinked through this page on our website.

For questions, please contact any of the current co-directors or the associate director:

• Jochen Ditterich, jditterich@ucdavis.edu
• Carolynn Patten, cpatten@ucdavis.edu
• Erkin Seker, eseker@ucdavis.edu
• Gabriela Lee, gmlee@ucdavis.edu