# Kimberly Andrews Espy

Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D. is an American academic administrator and clinical neuropsychologist. She became the 13th president of Wayne State University on Aug. 1, 2023, and was formally installed during an investiture ceremony on March 18, 2024.

## Education

Espy earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Rice University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Houston. She completed a clinical/pediatric psychology internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine/Bingham Child Guidance Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Espy is also a licensed clinical psychologist.

## Career
### Early academic roles

Espy began her academic career at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where she taught first-year medical students in neuroscience using problem-based learning. She later joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,where she developed collaborative interdisciplinary teams for large-scale proposals, including a NIST advanced materials facility, NSF ADVANCE STEM faculty initiative and an NSF High Energy Laser Physics expansion.

### Administrative leadership
#### University of Oregon

As vice president for research and innovation and dean of the graduate school at the University of Oregon, Espy secured state legislative funding to enhance economic development and research infrastructure.
University of Arizona
Espy served as senior vice president for research at the University of Arizona, where she led efforts to achieve record-breaking research and development funding. She played a key role in establishing partnerships, including the academic collaboration with Banner Health and the creation of the Defense Security Research Institute.
University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
As provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at UTSA, Espy promoted social mobility and expanded access to high-quality education. Her tenure included achieving R1 research classification, earning the Seal of Excelencia for serving Hispanic students, and securing a $40 million gift from Mackenzie Scott to advance student success. Notable projects included launching the Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, founding the University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio, and opening the San Pedro 1 Building for data science initiatives. She received a Women's Leadership Award from the San Antonio Business Journal for her community contributions.

## Wayne State University presidency

Espy assumed the presidency of Wayne State University in 2023. Her tenure has focused on realigning university leadership, strengthening partnerships with local businesses and organizations, and implementing the WSU Prosperity Agenda to enhance social mobility, urban health and regional innovation.
Key accomplishments include:
* Launching the College to Career Initiative, which emphasizes experiential learning and career preparation.
* Establishing a Center for Healthcare Workforce with new funding from the State of Michigan.
* Overseeing record enrollment growth and the opening of the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center.
She also introduced the University Leadership Council to enhance shared governance and led a record-breaking Giving Day campaign.

## Research contributions

Espy’s research focuses on early childhood development, particularly how attention control in young children affects academic and health outcomes. Her work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2002, with over $22 million in research grants. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychological Association and has chaired NIH study sections.

## Social engagement

Espy has served as an Executive Committee Member on Association of Public and Land-grant Universities councils, the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, and the Arizona Technology Council. She was twice elected as member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy and has served on the Board of Directors of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protections Programs, the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science, and the Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, reflecting her commitment to impactful research. Additionally, she has had roles in the San Antonio Medical Foundation, Campus Research Corporation, and the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee.

## Personal

Espy is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio.