Shelome Gooden was recently named as the University of Pittsburgh’s first-ever assistant vice chancellor for research for the humanities, arts, social sciences, and related fields, announced Senior Vice Chancellor for Research Rob Rutenbar. She will begin her position on Jan. 1, 2020.

Gooden will provide intellectual leadership across the humanities, arts, social sciences and related areas. She will work with and across leadership throughout the university to evolve new collaborations and research synergies that draw on strengths outside the laboratory and clinical areas. She will also participate in the University Research Council and will work to develop institutional-level funding to support research in the target areas.

“Our office (Pitt Research) needs to promote and engage with faculty working in all these knowledge domains, and creating this position helps us to do so,” said Rutenbar. “I know Shelome’s vision will help to advance the research conducted here at Pitt, and will enhance interdisciplinary opportunities.”

“Research in the broadest sense is vital to the success and mission of this university and to the success of our students, faculty and staff,” Gooden said. She sees this new role as “being an integral part of efforts to sustain a research environment that encourages creativity, collaboration and community throughout the university.”

Rutenbar said that the new position was created because the University offers an incredible diversity of modes of research and creative endeavors, and corresponding ranges of research and creative products. 

Gooden has served as associate professor in the Department of Linguistics, researching language contact and sound structure in Creole languages. For the past 14 years, she has served on the executive committee for the Society for Pidgin & Creole Languages and currently serves on the advisory board for an international research group, Creative Multilingualism. Gooden received her Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, and her Master of Arts and Ph.D. in linguistics from Ohio State University.