Abilene Christian University announced the hiring of Dr. Kay Tindle as vice president for research. Tindle will begin work at ACU on Nov. 11. 

The vice president for research role, with a joint reporting relationship to the provost and the president, promotes and facilitates scholarship and research, strengthens external funding and strategic partnerships, and enhances the research infrastructure.

“ACU has seen remarkable growth in research over the last decade, and we are fortunate to welcome Dr. Tindle’s leadership in our continued rise as a national research university,” said Dr. Robert Rhodes, senior vice president for academic affairs. “She is truly the right person at the right time. Her years of experience in research as well as strategic leadership are a great fit for this role.”

Tindle currently serves as the associate vice president for research strategy in the Office of Research and Innovation at Texas Tech University. In this role, she facilitates collaborations that cross departmental and institutional boundaries, liaises with industry and federal and state agencies, and provides project management for the development of major research strategies for Texas Tech. Tindle also oversees the Office of Research Development and Communications, Strategic Research Intelligence, the Texas Produced Water Consortium, and the STEM Center for Outreach, Research and Education. She is also a research assistant professor in the renewable energy program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Prior to joining Texas Tech, Tindle served at the University of Central Oklahoma, interned at the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education and taught English around the world (Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea). 

“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve all ACU faculty who desire to conduct research and provide expanded opportunities for their students,” Tindle said. “God has big plans for ACU, and I look forward to serving the mission.”

— Wendy Kilmer
Oct. 22, 2024