J. Michael Oakes

J. Michael Oakes, PhD, is the inaugural Senior Vice President for Research and Technology Management at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), overseeing a $550 million research enterprise. He holds the Veale Professorship of Technology Transfer and Commercialization and is a tenured Professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, School of Medicine. His leadership roles include directing the NSF-funded regional 'Sustainable Manufacturing' program, spearheading the $300 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building, and establishing a 40,000-square-foot technology commercialization incubator.

Previously, he served as Interim Vice President for Research at the University of Minnesota, leading a $1.1 billion research portfolio, and as Associate Vice President at CWRU, driving a 31% funding increase during the pandemic. He founded the Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to uplift historically disadvantaged scholars.

Oakes’ research focuses on interdisciplinary topics including research methodology, social epidemiology, and ethics, with collaborations spanning engineering, healthcare, and environmental science. He has authored over 150 papers and co-authored a leading textbook in his field.

No specific scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided text.