Russell J. Mumper

Phone:

(812) 856-2096

Email:

mumper@iu.edu

Website:

https://research.iu.edu

Department:

Office of the Vice President for Research, IU Research Leader

Russell J. Mumper was appointed vice president for research at Indiana University in 2023. In this role, he oversees IU’s research enterprise across all campuses, including Bloomington, Indianapolis, the School of Medicine, and five regional campuses.

Since his arrival, IU has reached historic milestones under Mumper’s leadership. In fiscal year 2025, the university exceeded $1 billion in research and development expenditures for the first time in its history, reflecting a 34% increase since 2021. Sponsored research awards also grew to more than $940 million, strengthening IU’s position as a national leader in discovery and innovation. Mumper has also guided major initiatives such as the IU LAB (Launch Accelerator for Biosciences), supported by a $138 million grant from Lilly Endowment—the largest research-related gift in IU history—which will open a state-of-the-art biosciences facility in Indianapolis in 2027. Additionally, Mumper has advanced IU’s leadership in microelectronics research through the launch of the IU CREATE center, a commitment of at least $111 million in new investment, and state READI 2.0 funding to develop next-generation microchips. He has also championed significant infrastructure investments, including $45 million in laboratory renovations across IU campuses, further strengthening the university’s research capacity.

Before joining IU, Mumper served as vice president for research and economic development at the University of Alabama from 2019 to 2023. Under his leadership, the university’s research enterprise grew by 113 percent, and research and development partnerships with industry expanded nearly 500 percent. Mumper previously held academic and administrative leadership roles at the University of Kentucky, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Georgia. Over two decades, he directed initiatives in academic and faculty affairs, accreditation, research, and economic development. He has also founded or led four interdisciplinary centers and launched five university-based start-up companies.

Prior to his academic career, Mumper spent eight years in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in research and product development leadership roles. He is a named inventor on 30 U.S. and foreign patents, many licensed to industry, and his research has contributed to several marketed drugs and health products.

An accomplished scholar, Mumper has secured nearly $35 million in research grants and contracts and published more than 310 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts in fields including advanced drug delivery systems, nanotechnology, and the health properties of berries and berry extracts. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a recipient of multiple lifetime achievement awards, and a frequent expert consultant to industry. A dedicated educator, Mumper earned campus-wide teaching awards at both UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Kentucky. His innovative work on flipped classroom models has received national and international recognition.

Mumper serves on numerous local, state, and national boards advancing research, innovation, and economic development. He is widely regarded as a thought leader on the future of higher education, particularly at the intersection of learning and work.

He holds a B.A. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Kentucky.