Craig C. McLauchlan has been named associate vice president for Research and Graduate Studies at Illinois State University, effective July 1. McLauchlan has served as department chair/interim department chair of chemistry since 2013. He replaces John Baur who will be returning to a faculty position.

“Dr. McLauchlan has a deep appreciation for the importance of research and graduate-level teaching, and an enthusiasm for supporting faculty and students,” said Illinois State Provost Jan Murphy. “His leadership skills and academic experience make him an ideal person to lead our Research and Graduate Studies area.”

McLauchlan has served as a mentor to over 40 students (B.S. and M.S.) in his time at ISU. His research, which has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society, spans bioinorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, structural chemistry, and catalysis, often involving vanadium-containing complexes. He has served on the International Advisory Board for the International Vanadium Symposium since 2010.

McLauchlan earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University and master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University. He began his career at Illinois State in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry.