Bryant University. The Character of Success

Hon. José-Marie Griffiths, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs

José-Marie Griffiths joined the leadership at Bryant University as vice president for academic affairs and university professor in 2010. An internationally acclaimed policy expert, researcher, and administrator with more than 35 years of experience in academic, corporate, and government settings, she has served in a number of U.S. Presidential appointments, two requiring U.S. Senate approval.  These include:

She has also served on numerous blue ribbon panels covering every U.S. administration, including President Obama’s.  

Dr. Griffiths has been a high-level university administrator at four universities, including Vice Chancellor, University of Tennessee; Chief Information Officer, the University of Michigan; Director, Sara Fine Institute, University of Pittsburgh; and Dean, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She has simultaneously served as a professor at all of these institutions, in addition to previous teaching and research appointments at other major universities in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Griffiths has conducted numerous contracts or grants with 16 federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Science and Technology, and NASA, as well as 13 companies, including AT&T Bell labs, IBM, Eastman Kodak, Johnson & Johnson, DuPont, and Colgate-Palmolive; seven international organizations such as NATO, UNESCO, and the British Library Research and Development Division; and over 10 statewide studies on networking, including Massachusetts, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York. These studies led to numerous publications including authoring or co-authoring nine books (plus three under contract), over 100 articles, chapters in books, international conference proceedings, and over 200 technical reports. 

Her research has also led to numerous honors and awards such as Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the top two honors in her primary professional association (The American Society for Information Science and Technology), and she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Women on the Web.

Highlights of her leadership activities, research, and academic administration experience are available below:

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Information Science, University College London, 1977
B.Sc. (Honors), Physics, University College London, 1973

EXPERIENCE

2010-present 
Bryant University, RI

  • Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • University Professor

2004-2010
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC

  • Professor, School of Information and Library Science (SLS)
  • Deputy Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
  • Director, Biomedical Informatics, Translational and Clinical Sciences (TraCS) Institute
  • Dean, School of Information and Library Science (SILS)

2001-2004
University of Pittsburgh, PA

  • Doreen E. Boyce Chair, School of Information Sciences
  • Director, Sara Fine Institute for Interpersonal Behavior and Technology
  • Senior Associate, Learning Research and Development Center
  • Professor, School of Information Sciences

1996-2001
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI

  • University Chief Information Officer
  • Executive Director, Information Technology Division
  • Professor of Information Science, School of Information
  • Director, Collaboratory for Advanced Research and Academic Technology (CARAT)

For a complete experience history, download Dr. Griffiths' curriculum vitae (.pdf)

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP

National Activities

2006-2012
The National Science Board
Governing Board of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Policy Advisors to the U.S. President and Congress

2003-2005
U.S. President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC)

1996-2002
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; Commissioner

International Activities

2007-2012 
Honorary Visiting Professor, School of Library Archives and Information Studies, University College London

2008-ongoing
Reviewer for the Canada Foundation, Major Grants

2005-ongoing
External Examiner for the University of the West Indies, Jamaica

For a complete history of national and international leadership, download Dr. Griffiths' curriculum vitae (.pdf)

RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION

2007-2010
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, TraCS Institute

  • Deputy Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
  • Director of Biomedical Informatics, TraCS Institute

2004-2010
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Information and Library Science

  • Dean, School for Information and Library Science

2001-2004
University of Pittsburgh, Sara Fine Institute for Interpersonal Behavior and Technology

  • Director

1996-2001
University of Michigan

  • Chief Information Officer

1982-1989
King Research, Inc.

  • Vice President, Information Systems: Planning, Design, and Development

1980-ongoing
International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

  • Advisor and Researcher

1978-1989
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

  • Advisor on a variety of information technology, information services, and education topics

For a complete history of research administration positions and accomplishments, download Dr. Griffiths' curriculum vitae (.pdf)

RESEARCH

Major Research Themes

The design, analysis, integration of heterogeneous, large-scale databases and systems, and social and economic issues and effects of information systems to create effective and valuable information exchange between people (as individuals, groups, organizations, and cultures), recorded knowledge, and technology.