A Conversation with Sarah Kucenas: Reflecting on Leadership and Looking Ahead
As she transitions into a new leadership role within the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences as Associate Dean for Research, Sarah Kucenas reflects on her impactful tenure as co-director of the UVA Brain Institute in the following Q&A. Sarah shares her previous experiences and offers a glimpse into what excites her most about the initiatives she is eager to support going forward.
While at the Brain Institute, she collaborated with UVA’s neuroscience community to shape the Grand Challenges in Brain and Neuroscience and fostered interdisciplinary collaboration across Grounds. She spearheaded several trainee-focused initiatives: the BRAIN Postdoctoral Fellowship, Presidential Fellowship in Collaborative Neuroscience, Future Leaders Summer Fellowship, and Professional Development Awards for postdoctoral scholars to attend conferences, symposia, or workshops essential for their career development. Kucenas played a key role in recruiting new neuroscience faculty, and her leadership has been instrumental in advancing both the Brain Institute and the broader UVA neuroscience community.
Q: What has been most rewarding about your time at the Brain Institute?
A: Working with an exceptionally talented team in the Brain Institute to serve the community. Jaideep and I are so lucky to get to collaborate with the talent, passion, and innovation of a team who is wholly dedicated to serving and growing neuroscience at UVA.
Learning about all of the exceptional science and clinical work going on at UVA. I’m a neuroscientist – but our field is so broad. I have been truly inspired by listening to faculty and trainees and learning about their projects, goals, and future plans.
Q: How do you see your experience at the Brain Institute (and time at UVA over the last fifteen years) shaping your approach in this new position?
A: I’ve grown as a scientist and leader while being a part of the Brain Institute team. I’ve been able to make new connections across Grounds, see my own discipline through the lens of many different faculty and trainees, and work with a dynamic team of individuals all passionate about moving the neuroscience community forward. All of these experiences set me up for the work I’ll be starting in A&S.
Despite the Brain Institute being focused on neuroscience, our field is vast and highly dynamic. So even though I’m a neuroscientist myself, I learned so much about different aspects of our discipline while in the Brain Institute, including work that is more applied and clinical. I see this type of learning as the same kind I’ll do in A&S.
The Associate Dean for Research position oversees and advocates for all research, scholarship, and creative activity in A&S, and I’m excited to learn about the many ways in which our faculty, staff, and trainees are pushing the human experience forward through their discovery, scholarship, and artistic talent.
I’m excited by being able to serve my home school and embrace the opportunity to actively participate in the development and implementation of a strategic research plan for Arts & Sciences that intentionally weaves itself through delivering an undergraduate experience second-to-none, transforming the graduate school by focusing on graduate excellence, and recruiting, advancing, and re-recruiting extraordinary talent.
Q: Could you explain your main responsibilities in the Dean’s Office, and some of the initiatives you are looking forward to supporting?
A: My main responsibilities include proposing and evaluating investments in infrastructure as well as focal areas for growth across the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and in relation to University-wide research activities.
I will collaborate with Dean’s Leadership Team, faculty, and staff to serve as a voice, championing policies and initiatives that enhance research and scholarly opportunities, including those in service of training, as well as support research excellence. I will also work closely with the Office of the Vice President for Research, other schools and institutes at UVA, and represent the Dean and A&S in the broader university research community.
Q: Anything else you would like to highlight?
A: I’ve REALLY enjoyed my time with the Brain Institute – especially working with Jaideep. He has been a partner, collaborator, friend, and mentor. What we did never felt like work and I learned so much from him while working with him. I know that we’ll continue to collaborate when I’m in my new role, and I’m excited to continue to grow.