The University of Connecticut announced the appointment of a new vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Lindsay DiStefano, who served as the interim vice president since October 2025, obtained her permanent role on Oct. 14 of this year. DiStefano said she is honored that the university trusts her to guide the research community.
“I believe wholeheartedly that UConn and UConn Health’s future in research is very bright, and I am excited to be on the front line supporting and advocating for our work,” she said.
Pamir Alpay, UConn provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said DiStefano’s communication skills were pivotal to her success in the interim role. He said DiStefano made herself available and listened to concerns from researchers who questioned the future of their work.
Alpay also said that colleagues across UConn and UConn Health appreciated her engagement and the way she brings people together.
“That feedback carries a great deal of weight with me,” Alpay said. “Seeing how she led and hearing from the people working with her made me confident that she was the right person for the permanent role.”
DiStefano began her UConn career in 2009 as an assistant professor of kinesiology. She was promoted to an associate professor in 2015, later becoming a full professor in 2021.
DiStefano also served as the head of the kinesiology department from 2018-2023. During her tenure, the Ph.D. program was ranked top three in the country for kinesiology. She said the ranking is a result of the collective effort of the department and her ability to be a leader.
“As department head, I encouraged collaboration and led the department with developing new workload and financial systems that helped ensure faculty and students had critical support,” she said. “I also remained active myself as a researcher, teacher, advisor and mentor.
Along with her teaching career, DiStefano actively contributes to kinesiology research and the promotion of healthy physical activity in children. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and served on many grant review and editorial board committees.
DiStefano’s work has received funded from federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She recently secured a $5.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health that spans over six years. It supports a national clinical trial that focuses on preventing sports injuries in high school students and promotes lifelong physical activity.
DiStefano said her background as a competitive athlete who recovered from injuries led her to a career in athletic training and research.
“I am a researcher at heart that loves to learn and compete,” she said. “I am motivated to solve problems, and this passion has driven me in every professional role I’ve had.”
Alpay said DiStefano will help shape UConn’s future because she knows the federal funding landscape, which is important in the wake of changes in government agencies’ priorities and support for university research. UConn’s research team needs to keep moving towards its goals while responding to those changes, which is something she can handle, he said.
“Lindsay is an accomplished and federally funded researcher who understands firsthand what faculty need to be successful,” Alpay said. “I am confident that she will help us make meaningful progress on the ambitions we have set for the university.”