Two associate vice presidents (AVPs) for research have recently been recognized as leaders in their respective fields:
| Kristy Nabhan-Warren, AVP of research and professor and Figge Chair in Catholic Studies, was elected as the 2027 President of the American Catholic Historical Association. |
| Aliasger Salem, AVP of research and Lyle and Sharon Bighley Endowed Chair and professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences, was named among the "World’s Top 2% Scientists," along with other UI faculty members. |
“The extraordinary achievements of Kristy and Ali serve as a powerful testament to the caliber of scholars driving our institution forward,” says David Schwebel, vice president for research. “The University of Iowa benefits tremendously from having these two leading scholars as champions for our research community.”
Nabhan-Warren advises the vice president for research on the arts, humanities, and qualitative sciences, and Salem has a special focus on natural and quantitative science, technology, engineering, and medical fields. In addition to these roles with the OVPR, they both continue robust research programs and are passionate about teaching and mentoring.
Nabhan-Warren’s research focuses on U.S. Latinx Catholics, and the intersections of religion, work, and migration in the Midwestern United States. She has authored five books, edits the book series Where Religion Lives, and has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles. Her latest book, Meatpacking America: How Migration, Work and Faith Unite and Divide the Heartland, is a deep ethnographic study that focuses on the intersections of migration, religion, and work in Iowa, Meatpacking America has garnered much interest from academics and the general public alike. She is currently writing a book for first generation and low income high school students on how to navigate applying to and succeeding in college and beyond.
Salem has made significant contributions to pharmaceutical sciences. His renowned expertise spans drug discovery, development, formulation, and delivery, with a focus on advancing therapies for regenerative medicine, cancer, and other diseases. Salem has written more than 280 peer-reviewed publications and has published in many prestigious scientific journals. Additionally, he has secured 11 patents and more than $80 million in grant funding. His teaching and leadership excellence are recognized through multiple awards. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, American Association for Pharmaceutical Scientists, Controlled Release Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.