In July, the University of Iowa welcomed David Schwebel as the next Vice President for Research. Schwebel will also have a tenured faculty appointment in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

Schwebel’s ties to CLAS are deep and ongoing. Having completed his undergraduate work at Yale University, Schwebel earned his PhD in clinical psychology from what is now known as the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) in 2000.

He went on to establish a stellar research career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), securing over $12 million in external grant funding and publishing nearly 450 papers focused on understanding and preventing unintentional injury in children, adolescents, and young adults. Schwebel served as vice chair of their psychology department, associate dean for research in their College of Arts and Sciences, and finally as Associate Vice President for Research, Facilities, and Infrastructure for the university.

CLAS Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure Joshua Weiner recently spoke with  Schwebel about his background, his affection for the University of Iowa, and what lies ahead for the college’s research mission.

Weiner: Can you share some memories of your time in graduate school here in psychology and CLAS? How did the environment in the department, college, and university shape your future career path?

Schwebel: I have fond memories of those years. Intellectually, the atmosphere was outstanding. I experienced terrific mentors and instructors, smart and engaging classmates, and a vibrant department atmosphere.

Of course, my work in the lab laid the groundwork for my research career; I published a number of papers from my master’s and dissertation research that led directly to my early career grants and 25 years of working to understand and prevent unintentional injuries to children.

Socially, I had amazing friends and colleagues in CLAS—primarily fellow graduate students in psychology and sociology—as well as in engineering. I met many friends through my engagement with COGS. I was active at the onset of creating COGS at Iowa, serving as a steward in what was then called the psychology department and traveling to Pittsburgh for the annual UE Union convention. And I learned to play badminton, connecting to many close friends on the Field House courts.

Perhaps most impactful, I met my wife at Iowa. She also was a graduate student in CLAS when we met.

Weiner: What are some ways the campus and Iowa City have changed since you left us in 2000?

Schwebel: Well, it’s interesting. Parts of the campus and city look nearly identical. The somewhat dilapidated house on Iowa Avenue where my wife and I lived together for our last year of graduate school looks quite similar today about a quarter-century later. The Ped Mall feels remarkably similar. But other things are completely unrecognizable. Seashore Hall, where I spent so many hours reading and writing, no longer exists. The department is now called Psychological and Brain Sciences. And, the campus has grown, with beautiful new buildings sprinkled across campus. The growth is terrific to see, but my nostalgic side enjoys the old memories as well.

Weiner: Like me, you served as associate dean for research in a college of arts and sciences. What were the biggest challenges you faced in that role, and what were some of your biggest successes?

Schwebel: Colleges of liberal arts are special places. In many ways, they represent the heart of a university. The liberal arts provide students with a rich foundation for all intellectual and career pursuits. The beauty of scientists, humanists, and artists working and thinking together creates innovation. 

I began my role at UAB soon after the College of Arts and Sciences was formed by merging smaller units together. We faced challenges to bridge the intellectual cultures of the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences—but we succeeded on multiple fronts. One major accomplishment was creation of a grants office to support both pre-award and post-award aspects of grant and contract submissions, across all disciplines. I also initiated and led a number of mentoring and training programs, and I directed successful searches for six new department heads. I look forward to applying lessons I learned in that position here in my role at Iowa.

Weiner: You are taking on the role of vice president for research at a critical time for science, both at Iowa and across the nation. What’s your approach to navigating this period of changes and transitions in higher education?

Schwebel: My biggest advice to us all—myself included—is to continue as usual until we hear otherwise. There likely will be some changes to university research, but we don’t yet know what shape they’ll take or how impactful they will be.

As your VPR, I am being proactive by thinking about how we might handle future budgetary changes and how to continue existing work. I encourage other researchers to do the same. I am also working with key partners—the university federal relations team, peer institutions, and other university leaders—to advocate for the importance of the Iowa’s amazing researchers.

So, stay tuned. When updates are available, we will share key changes with you via the federal updates web page and in the Iowa Now emails. In the meantime, we should continue pursuing our university mission—including conducting excellent research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Weiner: I’m sure our faculty, students, and staff would love to know a bit about your family, what things you are looking forward to doing in your spare time in Iowa City, and your hobbies and interests outside of work.

Schwebel: I met my wife, Yikun, here in Iowa City. She grew up in China, earned her undergraduate degree in Chicago, and then moved to Iowa City around the same time I did, in 1994. We met about halfway through our studies in Iowa City and married in 2000. We have two children, Andy, who recently graduated from University of Oxford with a bachelor’s degree in history and politics, and Rosa, who started her college career at McGill University this fall.

We love to travel. We’ve crisscrossed the globe together, near and far. In fact, before I started as VPR, I was on a whirlwind trip that spanned three continents: Europe, Africa, and North America. I exercise daily and tend toward racket sports as a hobby. I continue to search for racquetball partners here in Iowa City and have also returned to playing badminton.