Dr. Russell Hardy will take over as the director of CEMRC

From the Current-Argus, CARLSBAD — The president at New Mexico State University’s Carlsbad campus is changing jobs at the end of this year.

Effective Jan. 1, Russell Hardy will become director of the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center. In his new position, Hardy will lead the NMSU partnership with Los Alamos National Labs, Sandia National Laboratory and Washington TRU Solutions.

“I am very pleased that Russell will assume the leadership of CERMC and thank Russell for his dedicated service as president of the NMSU Carlsbad campus,” said NMSU President Barbara Couture. “He brings strong qualifications to CERMC including his experience as chief financial officer, his knowledge of managing grants and con-tracts, his academic credentials as a faculty member and campus president, and his commitment to the local economic, community and business needs of Carlsbad.” Hardy said he is excited about the opportunity to lead CEMRC.

“I look forward to working with the scientists and staff of CEMRC as well as the administration of the NMSU College of Engineering to continue serving the citizens of Carlsbad and Eddy County in fulfilling the mission of this nationally recognized research facility,” Hardy said.
During his three years as President of NMSU Carlsbad, Hardy played a key role in accomplishing several goals, including: — the funding, design, and construction of the Allied Health and University Transfer Center, a 17,000-square-foot facility dedicated to serving students in nursing, EMT and other allied health professions.

• The re-accreditation of the NMSU Carlsbad campus through the Higher Learning Commission in 2008 and the re-accreditation of the NMSU Carlsbad nursing program through the National League of Nursing in 2011.
• Serving the business community and community constituents through representation on several area boards including serving as the Chairman of the Board for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and as a board member of the Carlsbad Department of Development and the Carlsbad Community Development Corporation.

Hardy has agreed to continue to serve as president of NMSU Carlsbad during the search for his replacement. “We will move quickly on the search for the Carlsbad campus president,” Couture said. “It would be ideal to appoint the new president by January 2012, and we appreciate Russell’s willingness to help during this transition.” Plans also are under way to begin a search for a chief scientist to direct the research side of the CERMC operations.