Noted scholar and artist to assume key campuswide leadership role

Professor Kevin Hamilton, the Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and a scholar of new media in the School of Art & Design, will join the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on February 1. Hamilton, who has led FAA since 2018, will continue to serve as Dean while the ongoing search to identify his successor proceeds. During that time, he will hold the title of Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation—Humanities, Arts, and Related Fields (AVCRI-HARF), pending Board of Trustees approval. He will serve as FAA dean through May 15, at which time an interim or permanent successor will serve as dean.

Professor Hamilton joined Illinois's School of Art and Design as an Assistant Professor in 2002, and followed his interests in new media art forms into multiple interdisciplinary research collaborations over the years. The most notable of these lay in establishing, with Professor Ned O'Gorman of the Department of Communication, the first definitive account of the film studio responsible for documenting America's nuclear tests. That and other work led Professor Hamilton to new roles facilitating others' research in interdisciplinary and digital interactive forms. These include his support of nascent Digital Humanities efforts at the Humanities Research Institute (then Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities) and the co-founding of Ground Works, the first peer-review platform for arts integrative scholarship, for A2RU, the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities. He stepped in to fill a vacant FAA dean role in 2018, drawing from his previous experience as Associate Dean for Research to bring a faculty-focused approach to improving the college's profile and value as a partner to the professions and communities it serves.

“Kevin’s commitment to scholarly excellence and creativity are exceptional, and his unique perspective on the university will support the continued excellence of our research community,” said Susan Martinis, the vice chancellor for research and innovation at Illinois. “I am thrilled to welcome him to the OVCRI leadership team."

The AVCRI-HARF offers strategic guidance and counsel to promote research and collaboration, particularly in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and related fields.

“After more than a decade of rewarding service in the Dean’s office, I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve learned about the colleges to more fully integrate campus-level research support into our daily lives as scholars,” Hamilton said. “I’m also eager to join other advocates in clarifying a campus strategy for keeping research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences at the center of what we do as a university.”

As AVCRI-HARF, Professor Hamilton will provide leadership for the OVCRI’s Research Advising and Project Development team, which offers services such as proposal development for fellowship and grant applications, assistance with book proposals, project design, and additional initiatives, such as the First Book Writing Group. He will also lead the Campus Research Board, including funding for projects relating to Multi-Racial Democracy, and administer the Humanities Teaching Release Time (HRT), Performing Arts and Design (PAD) and Scholars’ Travel programs.

Hamilton succeeds Professor Cynthia Oliver, the Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Arts Integration at Illinois, who served as AVCRI-HARF from 2017-22. During Dr. Oliver’s sabbatical and subsequent transition to the Office of the Chancellor, both Chris Prom, Associate Dean for Digital Strategy and Professor at the University Library, and Stephanie Hilger, Professor of Germanic Languages & Literatures, served in interim and acting capacities in the role.

“Cynthia’s vision and energy as AVCRI-HARF was instrumental in elevating support for our scholarly community—work that didn’t miss a beat when Chris and Stephanie were at the helm,” said Martinis. “We are incredibly grateful to these faculty members for their collaborative spirit and leadership.”