University of Minnesota’s President Eric Kaler appointed a new vice president for research—a position administrators have been wanting to permanently fill for more than a year— on Tuesday.

Christopher Cramer, the College of Sciences and Engineering’s associate dean for research and planning, will assume his position Nov. 12 pending the Board of Regent’s approval, according to a statement from President Kaler sent to faculty and staff. Cramer also served as chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee in 2011-12, according to the statement. 

Cramer will hold the position until November of 2020 pending the Board’s approval, the statement said. 

“As vice president for research, Chris will oversee the University’s $900 million research enterprise across all its campuses and facilities, including the administration of sponsored projects, research compliance and regulatory offices, and key units dedicated to economic development and technology commercialization,” Kaler said the statement. 

Allen Levine, the current interim vice president for research, took the position at the beginning of 2017 with the promise that a permanent replacement would take his place.

According to Kaler’s statement, Levine and Cramer will work closely over the next month to ease the transition.

“This term appointment will provide stability through the presidential transition,” Kaler said in his statement. 

Cramer is currently a researcher in the Chemistry Department and has won many accolades—including the $14 million he has received in grants over the past 26 years.