President names VP for research and economic development search committee A search committee for the vice president of research and economic development has been named with Hesham El-Rewini, dean of the School of Engineering and Mines, serving as chair. Committee members are: Forrest Ames (mechanical engineering), Cindy Anderson (nursing), Alice Brekke (budget director), Diane Darland (biology), Hesham El-Rewini (engineering and mines, chair), Michael Gaffey (space studies), Jonathan Geiger (pharmacology, physiology and therapeutics), Mark Hoffmann (chemistry), Mike Holmes (Energy & Environmental Research Center), John MacFarlane (Otter Tail Power Corporation), Jim Melland (UND Research Foundation), Steve Moser (business and public administration), Kathryn Rand (law), Klaus Thiessen (Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation), and Mary Wakefield (School of Medicine and Health Sciences). The search committee held its first meeting Oct. 22. -- President Robert O. Kelley.