Dr. Daren Timmons, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of South Carolina Aiken, has accepted an offer of employment with Savannah River National Laboratory to steward the laboratory's industrial and strategic partnerships. His last day with the university is June 30.

Timmons joined USC Aiken in 2016 as dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering and, in 2019, was named provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, after serving a year as interim provost.

"It is with sincere appreciation for Daren's work to enhance our university's academic portfolio and industry connectivity that I join our campus community in thanking him for his service and wishing him well in his next endeavor," said USC Aiken Chancellor Dan Heimmermann. "Daren has worked tirelessly to advance the university's academic profile, faculty teaching and scholarship, industry partnerships, and many more pivotal initiatives. His time with the university is marked by some of our greatest advances including construction of the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative and pending construction of a South Carolina National Guard cybersecurity facility. His impact will be felt for many years to come."

In addition, Timmons raised nearly $1 million this past year in support of academic programs; was instrumental in USC Aiken obtaining a National Security Agency-designation as a Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense, a National Institutes of Health's Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare Assurance, and its first ABET accredited program; and maintained national academic program accreditation.

Timmons is an active leader of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges; the state-level Advisory Committee on Academic Programs for South Carolina's Commission on Higher Education; the non-profit Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness; the General Education and University Transfer Programs for Aiken Technical College; and the executive steering committee for the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, Savannah River National Laboratory.

"SRNL leadership has had a very positive work experience with Daren on the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative being constructed on USC Aiken's campus and many other projects," said Dr. Vahid Majidi, director of SRNL. "His knowledge of the AMC, as well as his connections with regional industrial and academic partners, make him a natural best fit to lead SRNL in developing enduring partnerships."

Prior to joining USC Aiken, Timmons was the John C. Allen '62 Institute Professor of Chemistry and head of the chemistry department at Virginia Military Institute, where he developed new liquid crystal materials and metal-organic frameworks alongside his undergraduate research students. He received VMI's Meritorious Service Medal described as "the highest military award [for employees] recognizing exceptionally meritorious service to the Institute," in addition to being recognized with VMI awards in teaching, scholarship, and student mentorship.

Dr. Thayer McGahee, dean of the university's College of Nursing, will serve as interim provost until a replacement is identified through a national search, which is expected to commence immediately. McGahee has served as dean since 2015.