East Carolina University has promoted Sharon Paynter to senior vice provost for research and innovation, a role which also acts as the chief research officer for the institution.
Paynter most recently served as chief innovation and engagement officer from June 2024 until last month, and was also the acting chief research and engagement officer from June 2022 to February 2026.
She has been an associate professor in the Political Science Department and the Master in Public Administration programme since August 2015. She had previously been an assistant professor at the institution since 2009.
“East Carolina University is special. Its mission is what attracted me as a new faculty member so many years ago, and I’m honoured to begin serving in this role on a permanent basis and excited about our future.
“The ECU research and innovation enterprise brings together opportunity and expertise in ways that deeply impact the people and places around us. Because of our faculty and our students, we have so much potential — to help our institution live out its service motto so well.”
Sharon Paynter
Paynter also served as interim director of Public Service and Community Relations, Chancellor’s Division, from June 2014 to November 2016.
She subsequently became assistant vice chancellor for economic and community engagement, a role she fulfilled until June 2022.
“Sharon proved her ability to lead through a complex period of change for the higher education research landscape time and time again. Her early success guiding community engagement and economic development projects led to progressively larger and more strategic work for ECU.
“With every accomplishment, more and more enterprise work found its way to her portfolio. And she delivered.”
Philip Rogers, chancellor
