Dear colleagues:

We are writing to share the news that James Barr von Oehsen, associate vice president of the Office of Advanced Research Computing (OARC), has accepted a position at another institution and will be leaving the university, effective May 1.

Barr joined Rutgers to begin building OARC in 2016, and his work over the past seven years has been instrumental in establishing the university as a leader in high-performance computing. As a Rutgers alumnus, Barr has worked tirelessly to engage with Rutgers faculty and build a support team of highly skilled technical and subject matter experts. Rutgers researchers, including faculty and students, now rely on OARC’s expertise in advanced computing and data analytics to secure grant funding, and further their research in complex and diverse fields such as cancer research and climate change.

 We recognize the crucial role of OARC as part of the research and innovation enterprise. We plan to quickly launch a national search to find the best candidate to lead OARC and support the growth of the university’s advanced computing infrastructure. More information will be forthcoming shortly regarding OARC’s leadership and next steps.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Barr for his invaluable contributions and dedication to putting Rutgers on the national map in an area of ever-growing importance. He has been a tireless leader and a valued colleague, and we will miss his passion, his intellect, and his commitment to Rutgers. We ask you to join us in wishing Barr all the best.

Best regards,

Michele Norin
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Michael E. Zwick
Senior Vice President for Research