A Johns Hopkins faculty member since 1994, Denis Wirtz has served as vice provost for research since February 2014. He is the Theophilus Halley Smoot Professor of Engineering Science in the Whiting School of Engineering. Dr. Wirtz has a primary appointment in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the Whiting School of Engineering and joint appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, as well as the Departments of Oncology and Pathology in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

As vice provost for research, Dr. Wirtz focuses on the current and future health of the university’s research enterprise, including institutional research compliance, research development, and cross-divisional research initiatives, such as the Johns Hopkins Catalyst and Discovery Awards, and the President’s Frontier Award. He chairs the Research Oversight Committee (ROC), comprised of the divisional research deans, research administration directors and key university personnel, to strategically plan Johns Hopkins’ research infrastructure and investments.

Dr. Wirtz is also responsible for the university research programs administration that oversees policies, procedures and information systems for research grants. He supports important multidisciplinary, collaborative research projects, including the Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships and the Research Development Team.