DETROIT – Aleta Savage has been named the assistant vice president for Sponsored Program Administration in the Division of Research & Innovation at Wayne State University.
Savage will lead improvements to the Sponsored Program Administration (SPA) operations including the proposal submission process, project setup time, financial status reporting, financial close-out, policy development, and overall increased customer satisfaction in support of the university’s strategic goal of becoming a top 100 R & D institution. Her expertise and guidance will aid the university’s efforts and commitment to propelling Wayne State’s competitiveness and success in seeking grant funding in support of its faculty.
Under her leadership, Savage will play a pivotal role in overseeing the management and administration of external research funding.
“I am pleased to welcome Aleta Savage to Wayne State University to help us foster an environment where innovative research can thrive,” said Ezemenari Obasi, vice president for research and innovation. “Her expertise and experiences will play a key role in improving our sponsored program administration operations that will be critical in enhancing the university’s research mission and impact. Through her leadership and engagement with our faculty, she will help guide improvements that will enhance our academic and research reputation, as well as our contributions to societal advancements.”
Savage has over 20 years of experience in the research administration field. Most recently she was the assistant vice president of research operations at Loma Linda University where she worked closely with investigators, administration, executive leadership and general counsel to support the research mission and institutional goals. During her time there, she developed policies and procedures related to research administration, and was responsible for budgeting, finances and operations. She directed pre- and post-award teams and information systems staff in support of research administration. During her tenure at Loma Linda, she led their research faculty and support teams to reach the highest number and value of proposals submitted and funded extramurally.
Prior to joining Loma Linda University’s research administration operations, she was an account executive at Walner Tooling where she managed customer service operations and managed customer accounts, and she was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley where she consulted with clients to plan and implement long-term financial strategies. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from La Sierra University, and a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from California State University in San Bernardino.
“I am incredibly excited to join Wayne State University in the Division of Research, said Savage. “I look forward to supporting the research community and collaborating on strategic initiatives to continue the growth and mission of the organization.”
Savage will join the university October 14, 2024.
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About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.
Wayne State University’s research efforts are dedicated to a prosperity agenda that betters the lives of our students, supports our faculty in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation further, and strengthens the bonds that interconnect Wayne State and our community. To learn more about Wayne State University’s prosperity agenda, visit president.wayne.edu/prosperity-agenda.
