The University of Connecticut has appointed Lindsay DiStefano as interim vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship, effective Oct. 3, replacing Pamir Alpay, who will serve as interim provost, school officials announced.
DiStefano, who has served as associate vice president for research development since 2023, will oversee the university’s sponsored programs, technology commercialization and entrepreneurial research opportunities, including the state’s largest tech startup incubator.
Alpay’s transition to interim provost follows the departure of Provost Anne D’Alleva, who will leave UConn on Oct. 3 to become president of Binghamton University.
UConn reported $380 million in research spending in fiscal 2025, which the university said generated more than $700 million in economic impact across Connecticut.
DiStefano helped establish the Emergency Research Grant Expenditure program, which provides short-term support for researchers who have lost federal funding due to circumstances beyond their control, officials said. She also oversaw expansion of UConn’s research communications, including launching a new website for investigators.
As interim vice president, DiStefano will lead the Office of the Vice President for Research, which serves as a central hub for researchers across all UConn campuses, including UConn Health.
Her responsibilities will include overseeing university research integrity and security.
A professor of kinesiology and former department head, DiStefano also holds affiliate appointments in the Department of Public Health Sciences and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine.
Her research focuses on strategies to promote physical literacy and reduce sports-related injuries in children. Her work has received funding from the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health.
DiStefano earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Boston University and master’s and doctoral degrees in human movement science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined UConn’s faculty in 2009.
