Mandy King has been hired as the University of Mississippi’s director of research integrity and compliance after a nationwide search. Photo by Shea Stewart/University of Mississippi
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has hired Mandy King as the university’s new director of research integrity and compliance after a nationwide search.
King brings more than 15 years of experience as a senior-level researcher and research compliance manager to the position in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs that promotes ethical research conduct and assures that UM research complies with university, local, state and federal guidelines and regulations.
King comes to Ole Miss from Southern Illinois University, where she was the university’s research compliance manager overseeing university adherence to regulations related to research. Previously she worked as a researcher and a research project specialist at SIU.
A native of Murphysboro, Illinois, King earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in physiology, both from SIU.
“My immediate goal is to ensure the continued standard of excellence for safe and ethical research conduct on campus,” said King, who joined the UM staff Aug. 1. “The combined efforts of the research integrity and compliance staff and the research community to create and nurture a culture of compliance at UM are really remarkable.
“My long-term goal can be boiled down to being a proactive and engaged advocate for ethical, productive and successful research at UM. Ultimately, I strive to collaboratively support researchers at all levels as they conduct increasingly more exceptional work.”
In her position, King provides leadership and oversight to promote responsible conduct of research, directs activities necessary for maintenance of Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care accreditation, serves as UM’s export control officer under U.S. Department of State regulations, oversees financial conflicts of interest in research and assists in the investigation of research misconduct allegations.
“We are thrilled to have Mandy join our team and the UM family,” said Josh Gladden, vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs. “We were fortunate to have a strong candidate pool for the position, but Mandy’s experience, professionalism and demeanor made her stand out.
“The director of research integrity and compliance plays an increasingly critical role in our research mission, and I have all confidence that Mandy will do a wonderful job.”
King has been published 11 times in peer-reviewed journals and is a certified Institutional Review Board professional and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee professional.
King said she applied for the Ole Miss opening because she saw it as “an amazing opportunity for personal and professional growth in the research administration field.”
Science became her calling in life early when she was a high school freshman as her family struggled to understand and manage a loved one’s illness, she said.
“My inner researcher was born from those pursuits to find answers to our questions,” she said. “There were no surprised faces when I decided to study and practice science. I, however, was pleasantly surprised at the realization some years ago that I had developed a passion for mentoring and helping others navigate the world of academic research.
“Seeing a student or colleague have that ‘aha’ moment is just as, if not more, rewarding than the moments of great experimental outcomes. When the opportunity arose to transition to research administration with a focus on compliance, I went for it at full throttle. It has been like finding my second wind.”
The Division of Research Integrity and Compliance is part of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Its staff educates faculty, staff and student researchers; tracks rules and regulations; and works to create and maintain a culture of responsible conduct of research.
Every sponsored program activity at UM involves ethical considerations termed “responsible conduct of research,” which includes compliance in areas such as permission to conduct research, conflict of interest, research misconduct, data management practices, mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students, and authorship credit.