Clemson names Sez Atamturktur Russcher AVP for the Charleston Innovation Centers

Sez Atamturktur Russcher has been appointed associate vice president for the Charleston-area Innovation Centers at the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI).

Russcher serves as the principal providing strategic leadership of the three units in this new role: the Dominion Energy Innovation Center, the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center, and the Warren Lasch Conservation Center. Responsible for staffing, budgeting and maintaining the facilities and operations at the CURI campus, she also serves as a liaison between the CURI and main campuses. 

As the state’s leading supplier of engineers, Clemson plays a vital role in encouraging the Charleston area’s economic and educational growth. Sez’s leadership capabilities are an ideal fit to realize the vision for this innovation campus to drive research, economic growth and workforce development in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.” 

Clemson University’s Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robert H. Jones

Previously, Russcher was Harry and Arlene Schell Professor and head of the Department of Architectural Engineering at her alma mater, The Pennsylvania State University. As the academic leader of her unit, she also was responsible for managing facilities, IT infrastructure, communication and fundraising efforts.  

Prior to Penn State, she served as assistant vice president for research development at Clemson. She joined Clemson’s Civil Engineering department in 2010 and was a provost’s distinguished professor and professor of environmental engineering and earth sciences, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and civil engineering. Russcher has published more than 100 journal articles and has been awarded more than $19M in externally funded grants. 

It’s gratifying to help expand Clemson’s impact in the Charleston region in this new role at CURI and support the community’s growth as students, researchers, and industry partners come together to advance the knowledge base through research and prepare the next generation’s workforce while fueling innovations.”

Sez Atamturktur Russcher, associate vice president for the Charleston-area Innovation Centers at the Clemson University Restoration Institute