Hripko, Dillon named to positions in economic development, research
Mike Hripko, associate vice president for Research at Youngstown State University, is the new YSU associate vice president for External Affairs, Government Relations and Economic Development
Meanwhile, Greg Dillon, associate dean of the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, has been appointed interim associate vice president for Research, and Severine Van slambrouck has been named director of Research, Compliance and Initiatives, effective Feburary 2019.
The appointments come as a result of a reorganization of the YSU Office of Research into two separate entities - the Office of Research and the Regional Economic Development Initiative.
Hripko leads the Regional Economic Development Initiative, serving as the primary YSU contact for federal, state and local government, as well as individuals, business and community organizations that seek involvement with YSU. He provides strategic and visionary leadership for the university’s economic development enterprise designed to build industry, corporate and governmental partnerships to stimulate economic growth and foster innovation. A primary focus of the position is the development of the Mahoning Valley Innovation and Commercialization Center at YSU.
A native of Youngstown, Hripko was deputy director for Workforce and Educational Outreach at America Makes, director of STEM Research and Technology-based Economic Development at YSU and also spent more than 30 years at Delphi Corp. in a variety of roles.
Dillon, who leads the Office of Research, came to YSU earlier this year as associate dean of STEM and now takes on the additional duties of the head of campus Research.
With PhD and bachelor of Engineering degrees in Materials Engineering from the University of Limerick, Ireland, Dillon previously was professor of Engineering and associate director for Research and Technology Transfer in the School of Engineering at Penn State University in Erie, Pa. He also was deputy head of the Composite Materials Division of Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory from 2000 to 2012. He was principal engineer in Advanced Development at Northrop Grumman, senior development engineer at Lawrie Technology Inc., and assistant director of the Composites Manufacturing Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Van slambrouck will provide campus-wide leadership in the development of externally funded grants and contracts, devise, implement and update policies and procedures to promote grant proposal development and oversee management and compliance for all grants and contracts awarded to YSU. Van slambrouck has a PhD in Chemistry/Biochemistry and 14 years of academic experience, securing more than $2.5 million for research and education and has served on grant review panels of the National Science Foundation and international research foundations.