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Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh

Vice President for Academic Research

Staff

Office of the Provost

Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh, vice provost for graduate education, research and outreach, and director of online education at Northern Kentucky University, became vice president for academic research at the University of Dayton Sept. 1, 2024.

The University announced the creation of the new vice presidential position in 2023 to better address the needs of faculty researchers in the schools and College of Arts and Sciences.  

Langley-Turnbaugh, who was selected after a national search, will report to Provost Darlene Weaver, and be a member of the president's cabinet, council and senior leadership team.  

She will be charged with leading and developing the new Office for Academic Research, growing UD’s portfolio of academic research, scholarship and creative works, and contributing to the University’s mission and strategy. She also will have a faculty appointment in the department of geology. 

Langley-Turnbaugh also will work closely with the vice president for the UD Research Institute, the provost and the deans to formulate a comprehensive "One University" research vision for UD that leverages the presence of UDRI and integrates the academic units. She will promote a collaborative and entrepreneurial academic research environment and diversify research revenue for the University, expand undergraduate student research, and contribute to the University's anchor institution and partner University strategy. 

"Dr. Langley-Turnbaugh will be an outstanding leader as the inaugural vice president for academic research," Weaver said. "During the search process she demonstrated her significant experience in research administration, operational infrastructure, and support of faculty and student research, scholarship and creativity. Her collaborative leadership style and commitment to serving the community while advancing academic research, align with UD's mission and culture." 

Weaver said Langley-Turnbaugh's appreciation and support for the full breadth of research, scholarly activity and creative works in the academic units was evident from the nearly 20 years she spent at the University of Southern Maine, where she began as an assistant professor and worked her way up to associate provost for research and graduate studies. At Southern Maine, she helped develop the institution's strategic plan for research and development to increase external funding, secured National Science Foundation grants and implemented research programs to use faculty expertise to address industry and community needs, among other efforts.   

Langley-Turnbaugh, who began her work at NKU in 2015 as vice provost for graduate education, research and outreach along with a faculty appointment in biological sciences,  spearheaded initiatives to increase research productivity by developing an overarching mission and annual goals for proposal submissions and awards, both of which increased during her tenure. Her focus on growing and promoting undergraduate research led to the creation of the Institute of Student Research and Creative Activity and more recently a first-year student research experience.  

She led the restructuring and streamlining of NKU's Research Foundation Board, which boosted funding opportunities and facilitated technology transfer and commercialization efforts while building strong community relationships to help address local and regional challenges. She added the title of director of online education for NKU in 2017. 

"I am excited to join the University of Dayton family and to provide strategic vision, support and leadership for the university's academic research community," Langley-Turnbaugh said. "I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students to build connections that will serve our mission and enhance our efforts to serve our community." 

Langley-Turnbaugh received her bachelor's degree in forest engineering from the University of Maine, her master of soil science from the University of New Hampshire and her doctorate in forest soils from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is co-author of the upcoming book, Online Education: The Future, Present and Past, and also helped write Place-Based Service Learning in Higher Education: Building Trust and Opportunities Over Time. 

She also is a member of the Association of University Technology Managers, the Council of Graduate Schools and the National Council of University Research Administrators, and holds leadership roles with higher education organizations in Kentucky. She is a licensed forester in the state of Maine and a licensed soil scientist.