With decades of experience advancing scientific discovery and innovation, Alyson G. Wilson will become William & Mary’s vice provost for research on July 1.

Wilson comes to Williamsburg from North Carolina State University, where she is a tenured professor in the Department of Statistics and serves as the senior associate vice chancellor for research initiatives and commercialization. In that role, she manages the university’s intellectual property, builds new research partnerships and advances the university’s research brand and reputation. For the last year, she has also served as interim vice chancellor for research and innovation.

“There’s tremendous energy around how research can support the historic mission of William & Mary,” Wilson said. “I’m excited by the prospect of being part of that.”

As vice provost for research, Wilson will be responsible for developing and executing a strategy that substantially expands the university’s research enterprise while safeguarding one of the key distinctions of William & Mary — an emphasis on teaching excellence that provides undergraduates prime research opportunities and interdisciplinary graduate programs that compete with large research universities. She will report to Provost Peggy Agouris.

“Alyson is an exceptional leader with a deep commitment to research that drives impact,” said Agouris. “She brings creativity and insight to supporting faculty and students by expanding resources and developing creative solutions. We are fortunate to welcome her at such a pivotal time, as William & Mary’s research enterprise is growing rapidly. Alyson’s leadership will be instrumental in navigating the present complex and rapidly evolving research landscape and in positioning William & Mary for continued excellence and impact.”

Wilson succeeds Dennis Manos, who is stepping down after more than 30 years at the university where, in addition to serving a vice provost for research, he left an indelible mark as chairman of the William & Mary Intellectual Property Foundation and member of the Emergency Management Team, the Risk Management Committee, the financial subcommittee of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and the Faculty Committee on University Priorities. Manos will remain at William & Mary in an advisory capacity until his retirement in December 2026.

“Transformative research has always been foundational to William & Mary. For more than three decades, Dennis has played an integral role in cultivating W&M’s cutting-edge research,” said Agouris. “I am incredibly grateful for his many years of service and that he will continue to contribute his singular expertise. His insight will be invaluable to Alyson as she looks to the future of research and innovation on campus.” 

Building a research infrastructure 

Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, Texas, a master’s in statistics from Carnegie Mellon University,  a doctorate in statistics from Duke – and a black belt in Hapkido. She began her career in the private sector, working for a Department of Defense contractor, using statistical analysis to assess the reliability of weapons systems. In 2013, she joined NC State as an associate professor of statistics.

“Alyson brings a rare fusion of national security credentials, data science leadership, and deep interdisciplinary insight,” said Douglas C. Schmidt ’84, M.A. ’86, dean of W&M’s new School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics, who with Vice Provost for Academic Affairs David Yalof, co-chaired the search committee. Her track record at NC State — scaling up federal funding, building cross-sector alliances, and launching inclusive research academies — shows exactly the kind of catalytic leadership that will elevate research across William & Mary.”

This is an extremely consequential role for W&M, especially in the wake of the university receiving a Carnegie Classification of Doctoral University with Very High Research Activity (R1) earlier this year. Wilson will be tasked with transforming W&M’s research infrastructure to position the university for growth.

“Infrastructure sometimes means expensive equipment no one professor could afford on his or her own but it’s also the framework the institution has in place to help faculty succeed,” Wilson said. “You may have a professor really excited about working with a certain agency but how does the university help you get that done? What are the key things that need to be in place for researchers, especially young researchers, to make it easier for them to win those projects, or get those grants?”

At NC State, Wilson oversaw federal compliance and executed externally sponsored grants and contracts, developing strategies to expand research engagement in areas like defense and national security, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. NC State is the STEM juggernaut among North Carolina’s state universities with well over $600 million in annual research expenditures. 

Wilson will bring her talents to a university poised to elevate its own impact in research and innovation enterprise. The R1 classification bestowed on William & Mary reflects a commitment to advancing knowledge through high-level, cutting-edge research and provides expanded opportunities for publication and grants. The university’s research activities already span a wide variety of areas and involve more than 20 research centers and institutes. 

With William & Mary’s ascension to R1 status, the university is entering a new era of research excellence, strengthening the ability of the faculty to attract large-scale competitive funding, expand interdisciplinary collaboration across the liberal arts and sciences and advance knowledge in ways that address pressing societal and global challenges. Wilson says her job is to help W&M’s faculty and student researchers succeed. 

She will work closely with the deans of all schools, including Schmidt, who says she will be part of the team that amplifies W&M’s national voice in research areas where “we aim to lead.” 

“A thriving research enterprise is the lifeblood of innovation,” Schmidt said. “The vice provost for research is central to fueling that engine — by championing faculty who push boundaries and by ensuring our students engage with the frontiers of discovery.”