We are excited to announce Dr. Raymond Uzwyshyn is our new Director of Research Services.
Ray joined us on Monday, September 9 and brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished academic research background, including a Ph.D. from New York University, MLIS from the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA (IT Project Management) from American Public University.
Before joining us, Ray served as Research Impact Coordinator (full professor) at Mississippi and Texas State University Libraries. His work involved supporting the academic research lifecycle through development of digital research ecosystems, AI possibilities for research across departments and supporting and developing innovative digital systems, projects, and infrastructures for faculty and graduate students’ research.
Ray shares what sparked his interest in the Director of Research Services position here at the UCR Library, "I was quite intrigued by this position's unique technological focus for research directions and current wealth of new digital and IT innovation possible this way. I'm a huge believer in new technologies and enabling the university scholarly community with these new infrastructures for communicating, collaborating and enabling research."
Ray hopes to continue to shape the Research Services department into an innovative and interdisciplinary service infrastructure where staff expertise and cutting-edge technologies—such as AI, augmented and virtual reality, data, digital research archives and multimedia—can empower faculty and student research directions to create national level best-in-class projects.
Outside of his professional work, Ray has longstanding interests in the humanities and the arts. "I still have a passion for film, art history, literature and the socio-historical valences of media, more recently—everything AI and new media," Ray says. He also enjoys hiking, yoga, meditation, strength training, and jogging to maintain work/life balance with academic and creative pursuits.
We are thrilled to welcome Ray to our team and look forward to the exciting contributions he will bring to the UCR Library and the UCR research community.