UH appoints new associate vice president for research and innovation

Chad Walton

Generic UH System research broll: https://bit.ly/2DTUKsa

The University of Hawai‘i announces that Chad Walton has been appointed as the new associate vice president for research and innovation for the 10-campus UH System. Walton is set to begin his official duties with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) on May 1, 2025.

In his new role, Walton will direct many large systemwide research programs and initiatives to ensure that they align with UH’s strategic direction, metrics and efficiencies, including but not limited to STEM education, Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research/Institutional Development Award. He will also be responsible for creating research and workforce/economic development programs, plans and objectives that aim to increase community/industry support and bolster UH’s technology transfer and commercialization efforts. Additionally, Walton will be working closely with the UH Foundation to help oversee the development of the UH System Office of Strategic Philanthropic Partnerships.

“I am deeply honored to serve the University of Hawai‘i System in this new capacity,” Walton said. “Hawai‘i’s 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’s research enterprise, accelerate commercialization and create workforce pathways that translate discovery into real-world impact.”

Walton previously served as assistant vice provost for research and scholarship at UH Mānoa, where he guided strategic research development initiatives, including the materials science initiative, which secured significant funding, catalyzed infrastructure investments, and attracted affiliated faculty from across the campus within its first year. He currently serves on several award advisory boards/steering committees, including the Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge and Opportunities, and two Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence—both funded by the National Institutes for Health (NIH).

A trained bioengineer with experience developing technology for several National Science Foundation and NIH-funded grants, Walton’s scientific expertise lies in vaccine development, acoustics-based gene delivery and molecular cardiology, with several related U.S. patents issued. He earned his bachelor of science in medical microbiology from Northern Arizona University, master of biomedical technology from the University of Calgary and his PhD in molecular biosciences and bioengineering from UH Mānoa. Following the completion of his PhD, Walton spent several years at the John A. Burns School of Medicine as a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Cardiovascular Research and then as faculty in the Department of Medicine. He later moved to the Department of Surgery, where he also served as the director of trauma research for the State of Hawaiʻi Trauma System.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Chad to OVPRI, 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 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’s experience, skillset, and familiarity with UH, will be important to our success, especially in our current federal funding environment.”

About UH Research

Research conducted by the University of Hawai‘i (UH) impacts the quality of life in the islands and around the world. As the state’s major research university, and because of Hawai‘i’s tremendous geographic diversity, UH plays a prominent role in the state’s economic growth and development through its diverse and world-renowned research and innovation programs in astronomy, earth and ocean sciences, medicine and tropical agriculture. research.hawaii.edu