January 29, 2026

Joe Giffels, Sr. Associate Vice Provost for Research, Retires from Office of Research

After more than four decades of service in the field of research administration and compliance, Joe Giffels, Senior Associate Vice Provost for Research Administration and Integrity, will retire from the UW Office of Research on February 2, 2026. Over his 13-year tenure at the University of Washington, Joe has been instrumental in strengthening the processes, policies, and systems which support the research enterprise and advance responsible, service-oriented research administration across the UW Campuses.

Joe’s expertise spans clinical trial management, research data management, the peer review process, and the responsible conduct of research. Since joining UW in 2013, he oversaw much of the University’s pre-award research administration infrastructure as well as several compliance programs central to the responsible conduct of research. His portfolio included the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Human Subjects Division, the Office of Research Misconduct Proceedings, Financial Conflict of Interest, Faculty Outside Work, Export Controls, and the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee. His leadership ensured these units worked in concert to meet regulatory requirements while enabling researchers to move their work forward efficiently.

A Career Grounded in Science and Service

Joe brought recognized expertise and deep professional experience in research administration, integrity, and compliance to the UW. He graduated from Olivet College in Michigan with degrees in Chemistry and Biology and began his career as a Research Associate in the Neurovirology Laboratories at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and later transitioned into research administration. He served on both the grantmaking and ‑grant-receiving sides of sponsored research—first as Director of Research and Professional Education for the Epilepsy Foundation of America in Washington, D.C., and subsequently‑ as Assistant Administrator for University Affairs for the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. Before coming to UW, he served as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Research Integrity Office at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, where his portfolio included research involving humans and animals, conflict of interest, research misconduct, and training in responsible research practices.

Joe also published on several research integrity topics and served as a reviewer for the Journal of Science and Engineering Ethics. Colleagues throughout the University relied on his principled counsel, practical judgment, and commitment to transparent processes.

At UW, Joe helped guide the institution through moments of significant challenge. He played a central role in maintaining research continuity while protecting health and safety during the COVID‑19 pandemic, and he helped lead the University’s response to a vendor-‑caused radiation contamination incident, approaching both with steadiness, transparency, and collaboration. He has led major organizational transitions, including integrating the Office of Animal Welfare and the Washington National Primate Research Center into the Office of Research, ensuring stability for researchers and staff during a period of constrained resources.

A Lasting Institutional Impact

Joe is an esteemed figure at the UW, known for his friendly collaborative approach, his ability to convene the right partners quickly, his quick wit, and his respect for the wealth of diverse expertise across all three campuses and partner institutions. His service on numerous enterprise-level committees helped ground institutional policy in both regulatory clarity and the lived realities of research. Through this work, he strengthened the systems that earn and support UW’s $1.7 billion research portfolio and reinforced the foundation for ethical, innovative scholarship.

“Joe’s legacy is the culture of collaboration, trust, and stability he helped build in the UW research community,” Vice Provost for Research Administration Mari Ostendorf said. “He made it easier for researchers to do their best work—safely, responsibly, and with confidence. He has been a trusted advisor, and we are grateful for his leadership and the foundation he leaves for the next generation of researchers at the University of Washington.”

Joe’s departure brings changes to the leadership structure in the Office of Research, with the appointment of Mandy Morneault, former Chief Administrative Officer in the Office of Research, to Assistant Vice Provost for Research Integrity, and Carol Rhodes, former Director of Office of Sponsored Programs, to Assistant Vice Provost for Research Administration and Compliance. The promotion of these two long-serving leaders in the Office of Research to executive leadership ensures the continuity of experienced oversight for these critical research functions.

The Office of Research extends its sincere appreciation to Joe for his distinguished service and dedication, and wishes him the very best in his retirement.