Vice Provost and Dean of Research
Showing 1-21 of 21 Results
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Vanessa Parli
Managing Director of Programs and External Engagement, Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)
BioAs Managing Director, Programs and External Engagement at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), I lead initiatives that foster interdisciplinary collaboration and connect academic research with real-world impact. My work includes managing HAI’s industry research partnerships, executive education, policy engagement and the AI Index, creating opportunities for leaders from diverse backgrounds to engage with cutting-edge AI research, its applications, and its potential for positive social impact.
Before joining Stanford, I worked in management consulting, applying statistics, machine learning, and data science to advise government agencies, biotech firms, and nonprofit organizations. My work centered on making complex methods accessible to decision makers, ensuring technical rigor translated into actionable strategies.
I hold an MS in Engineering Management and Computational Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Industrial Engineering from Arizona State University. I am passionate about turning bold ideas into impact, and am recognized for my collaborative, process-driven approach to problem-solving. -
Juan N. Pava
Master of Arts Student in International Policy, admitted Autumn 2026
Summer 2026 TECH 50 H Course Support Specialist, Continuing Studies
Research Assistant, Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)BioJuan N. Pava is a Research Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), where his work focuses on AI governance, digital inclusion, and the political economy of emerging technologies, particularly in the Global South. His research examines how institutions can more equitably govern technological development, with current projects spanning low-resource languages, language digitization, AI sovereignty, and accessibility.
At Stanford HAI, Juan has contributed to research and institutional initiatives at the intersection of technology and social impact, including educational programming for civil society leaders and collaborative projects on inclusive AI development. He is also a Research Assistant at Stanford’s Human Trafficking Data Lab, where he co-authors research on legal and statistical frameworks surrounding labor exploitation and human trafficking.
Juan holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Economics from New York University and will begin the Master’s in International Policy program at Stanford University in 2026. Born and raised in Colombia, his broader interests lie in political economy, international development, and the application of normative political theory to institutional design and governance. -
Jevan Payne
Finance Manager, Office of Technology Licensing (OTL)
BioJevan is responsible for financial and other system reports and data analytics across the board. Jevan is also responsible for different control and quality checks of the data in 4D.
Prior to joining Stanford as a Financial Data Analyst, Jevan studied Business Management; specializing in Economics. He has previously served in the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and worked in IT at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. -
Elizabeth Ponder
Executive Director, Sarafan ChEM-H
BioElizabeth Ponder is a recognized leader in innovation and translation at the non-profit / for profit interface. Ponder has spent 15+ years building and scaling high-impact research organizations at the intersection of biomedical innovation, global health, and drug development — focused on ensuring the human health impact of transformative scientific discoveries while fostering the next generation of scientists.
As Executive Director of Sarafan ChEM-H, Ponder leads the institute's efforts to drive academic innovation and training at the interface of molecular disciplines. Ponder oversees Sarafan ChEM-H's research, education, and translational programs, guiding initiatives that foster collaboration, innovation, and impact.
With over a decade at Stanford, Ponder has changed the landscape of interdisciplinary molecular research and training. Under her leadership, the institute recruited 19 faculty representing the “scientific maverick” phenotype from diverse fields of molecular research, including 2022 Nobel Prize laureate Carolyn Bertozzi; established an innovative Ph.D. training program (NIH and philanthropy-funded) serving 150+ doctoral trainees since 2015; and designed and opened a 235,000 sq ft interdisciplinary research complex to house the institute. Her responsibilities include oversight of strategy, planning, and operations for the institute.
Most recently, Ponder oversaw the design and implementation of the “Nucleus" as a scalable model for democratizing access to cutting-edge research technologies and expertise and leveraged the Nucleus infrastructure to support a 6-year pilot program for strategic translational investments in new medicines based on Stanford discoveries, the Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator. The Nucleus has touched more than 600 research projects in 200+ faculty labs across the Stanford campus contributing to patents, publications, and new grant funding. The translational portfolio included 135+ projects, 8 successful exits to VC-backed biotechnology companies, and 9 clinical trials of experimental therapeutics, including 2 first-in-human trials of experimental therapeutics discovered and developed entirely within Stanford. Ponder also played a critical role in external relationship management for the portfolio, ranging from key philanthropic donors to biopharmaceutical partners and venture capital investors.
Ponder was recognized for leadership excellence at Stanford through selection for Leadership@Stanford (2025 cohort) and the 2023 Marsh O'Neill Award for exceptional support of Stanford's research enterprise.
Before joining Stanford, Ponder led policy, research, and training initiatives at the global health - biopharmaceutical industry interface. She served as Executive Director of the Wheeler Center for Emerging & Neglected Diseases at UC Berkeley where she designed and launched new programs addressing neglected disease research. She also served in roles of increasing responsibility in Scientific Affairs at BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), where she provided scientific leadership to project teams and executive leadership, advancing BVGH's mission to increase innovative biotech participation in drug, vaccine, and diagnostic development for neglected diseases of the developing world.
Ponder completed her Ph.D. and postdoctoral research at Stanford in the department of microbiology and immunology, supported by an NSF National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and Stanford Dean’s postdoctoral fellowship. She published multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications focused on protease function and drug target potential in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes human malaria. Her early work in infectious diseases inspired her life-long passion for improving human health through scientific innovation.
