The Iowa Board of Regents recommended to approve a request from the University of Iowa that Lois Geist fulfill the position of interim UI vice president for research during their meeting on Wednesday.

The Office of Vice President for Research provides resources to researchers within the university. It also develops strategic initiatives for administrative and compliance infrastructure.

The office is composed of six regulatory compliance offices, eight research centers, four core research facilities, research development and communications teams, the UI Research Foundation, and the State Hygienic Laboratory, according to its website.

Geist is taking over the position from Marty Scholtz, who stepped down at the end of his five-year term to take a position at Brown University.

Geist served at the UI as the provost for faculty, professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine, as well as the associate dean of faculty affairs in the Carver College of Medicine.

Geist currently works within the Department of Internal Medicine in the Carver College of Medicine. She was selected by the UI on Sept. 9 to fill the role.

The regents will vote on Thursday to officially approve Geist’s appointment. The UI is still searching for a permanent replacement.