Physicist Sheena Murphy is the vice president for research at 91社区.
She leads the Division of Research, which supports 91社区's success as a premier public, nationally recognized institution and leader in transformational research that benefits society. The division promotes and supports excellence in research and scholarly activities and fosters an environment of consciousness and responsibility that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.
Murphy holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate from Cornell University. An expert in condensed matter physics, she is a former NSF CAREER Award winner and the recipient of more than $20 million in external research funding.
She began her career in industry at IBM and AT&T Bell Labs before joining the University of Oklahoma, where she was a faculty member for more than 20 years. Before coming to 91社区 in 2026, Murphy served as associate vice president for research development at West Virginia University.
She and her team embrace the core values of the University: excellence, respect for the individual, integrity, diversity and accountability. The division provides high-quality service and fosters a collegial environment. Its goals include:
- 91社区 has a research, scholarship and creative activities profile of a premier public university.
- The research, scholarship and creative activities at 91社区 significantly enhance and enrich society.
- 91社区 researchers are recognized in their fields.
- 91社区 has research facilities that will maintain its R1 status with the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Our 2025 annual report is available online.