Dr. Arleen A. Hill Appointed Chair of the IRB

New leadership on the Institutional Review Board builds on a decade of ethical research excellence

The Division of Research & Innovation is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Arleen A. Hill as Chair of the University of Memphis Institutional Review Board (IRB). Appointed by the University’s Research Integrity Officer, Dr. Hill brings a wealth of experience as both an IRB member and a scholar actively engaged in human subjects research. 

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an administrative body responsible for safeguarding the rights, welfare, and privacy of individuals who participate in research conducted under the auspices of its affiliated institution and is tasked with reviewing all research involving human participants—whether funded or not—prior to its initiation. Its primary concern is to ensure that ethical standards are upheld throughout the research process. In accordance with federal regulations and institutional policy, the IRB has the authority to approve, disapprove, monitor, or require modifications to research activities that fall within its jurisdiction. 

Current chair and a faculty member in the Department of Earth Sciences since 2003, Dr. Hill earned her Ph.D. in geography from the University of South Carolina, following graduate and undergraduate degrees in environmental resources management and geology. Her research in hazards geography and disaster studies focuses on vulnerable populations—work that originally inspired her to join the IRB in 2013. 

Dr. Hill describes the IRB as “a collaborative team focused on protecting the rights and welfare of individuals who participate in research.” She expressed gratitude for the leadership of Dr. Jim Whelan, who served as IRB Chair for over a decade during a period of remarkable growth in research activity at the University of Memphis. 

In her new role, Dr. Hill looks forward to continued collaboration with investigators, IRB members, and the research compliance team to uphold the highest ethical standards in research involving human participants. For more information on IRB, visit the Institutional Review Board website»