by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)
Ranu Jung, professor and chair of the Florida International University Department of Biomedical Engineering in Miami, is the founding director of the University of Arkansas’ $89 million Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I3R). UA officials announced the hire in a news release Wednesday (Oct. 13). Jung will begin in December.
UA officials in July 2020 announced a $194.7 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, one of the most significant single private gifts ever given to a university for advancing research and economic development. The funding is supporting several initiatives, one of which is the I3R. It will be built at the southeast corner of Dickson and Duncan streets on the southeast side of the UA campus. The building’s projected size is between 125,000 and 130,000 square feet. Groundbreaking is likely for January 2022.
Photo courtesy of the University of Arkansas.