{"id":214610,"date":"2025-04-28T08:37:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T18:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=214610"},"modified":"2025-04-28T08:37:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T18:37:30","slug":"walton-ovpri-associate-vp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/28\/walton-ovpri-associate-vp\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> appoints new associate vice president for research and innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Chad Walton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> announces that Chad Walton has been appointed as the new associate vice president for research and innovation for the 10-campus UH<\/abbr> System. Walton will begin his official duties with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation<\/a> (OVPRI<\/abbr>) on May 1, 2025.<\/p>\n

In his new role, Walton will direct major systemwide research programs and initiatives to align with UH<\/abbr>‘s strategic direction and metrics, including STEM<\/abbr> education and small business innovation programs. He will create research and workforce\/economic development programs to increase community\/industry support and strengthen UH<\/abbr>‘s technology transfer efforts. Additionally, Walton will work with the UH<\/abbr> Foundation to oversee the development of the UH<\/abbr> System Office of Strategic Philanthropic Partnerships.<\/p>\n

“I am deeply honored to serve the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> System in this new capacity,” Walton said. “Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s unique strengths position us to lead in areas that matter profoundly to our islands and the broader global community. I look forward to working with faculty, students, industry and philanthropic partners to expand UH<\/abbr>\u2019s research enterprise, accelerate commercialization and create workforce pathways that translate discovery into real-world impact.”<\/p>\n

Walton previously served as assistant vice provost for research and scholarship at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, where he led the materials science initiative that secured major funding and drew faculty participation campus-wide. He currently serves on several advisory boards and steering committees.<\/p>\n

Walton is a trained bioengineer who developed technology for National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health-funded grants, with expertise in vaccine development, acoustics-based gene delivery, and molecular cardiology, holding several U.S. patents. He earned degrees from Northern Arizona University, University of Calgary and UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. After his PhD<\/abbr>, he worked at the John A. Burns School of Medicine before moving to the Department of Surgery, where he served as trauma research director for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s Trauma System.<\/p>\n

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Chad to OVPRI<\/abbr>, as he represents another integral component of our recent reorganization and restructuring to accommodate the growth of our operations in both size and complexity,” said UH<\/abbr> Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “As we continue to be a driver of research, innovation, and knowledge both globally and locally, Chad\u2019s experience, skillset, and familiarity with UH<\/abbr>, will be important to our success, especially in our current federal funding environment.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Walton will direct major systemwide research programs and initiatives to align with UH<\/abbr>‘s strategic direction and metrics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1193],"tags":[1505,1467,1363,1579,313,947],"class_list":["post-214610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-administrative","tag-innovation","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-research","tag-research","tag-stem","tag-uh-system","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t