Theresa Maldonado, Ph.D., joins UCOP as vice president of the Office of Research and Innovation
March 10, 2020 •
The following announcement was issued Michael T. Brown, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president, Academic Affairs:
I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Theresa Maldonado, Ph.D. — currently dean and Riter professor of engineering and professor of electrical & computer engineering at the University of Texas (UT), El Paso — as vice president of the newly organized Office of Research and Innovation in the Academic Affairs Division of the Office of the President. Her first day at UCOP is March 10.
Theresa Maldonado, Ph.D., Vice President, Office of Research and Innovation
In leading the re-structured Office of Research and Innovation, Dr. Maldonado will serve as an influential partner dedicated to advancing UC’s preeminence in research and innovation, while she works with the Academic Affairs leadership team in advancing institutional diversity. In doing so, she will have the uniquely profound opportunity to develop new and enhance existing relationships among UC entities to further leverage our world-class strength in research on behalf of California, the nation and the world.
Maldonado comes to UC with a wealth of experiences and expertise that should help keep UC the nation’s preeminent academic research system and at the forefront of stewarding a research engine that yields a multitude of benefits for California: billions of tax dollars, economic growth through the creation of new products, technologies, jobs, companies and even new industries, agricultural productivity, advances in health care and improvements in the quality of life. Her academic career spans 29 years at four universities: UT, Rio Grande Valley; Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Health Science Center and UT, Arlington, with nearly 20 years in research, strategic and administrative roles. She served as associate vice chancellor for research at the Texas A&M University System and as founding director of the Texas A&M Energy Institute. At the system level, she served as deputy director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station.
Maldonado has extensive experience at the federal level in advancing engineering research, education, and commercialization initiatives. Among her appointments, I’d highlight her position at the National Science Foundation as division director, Engineering Education and Centers Division. Her experience in nurturing university partnerships with external stakeholders will be valuable to UC efforts to drive the greater success of our research enterprise through developing and implementing unique, systemwide research and innovation initiatives and programs in partnership with campus, state, industry and federal stakeholders.
Before entering academia, Dr. Maldonado was a technical staff member at AT&T Bell Laboratories, where she spent over five years working on optical fiber components and systems. Dr. Maldonado earned her Ph.D., M.S.E.E., and B.E.E. degrees in electrical engineering, with highest honors, from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a registered professional engineer in Texas.
I highly commend the search committee led by Kim Budil, principal associate director for Weapons and Complex Integration at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and former vice president for the National Laboratories in the UC Office of the President, for their excellent and efficient work in generating such an extraordinary and diverse pool of finalists for this new position.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Theresa Maldonado to her new position as vice president of Research and Innovation in the UC Office of the President!
Tags: hiring announcement, research and innovation, Theresa Maldonado
Warmest congratulations and best wishes in your achievement Dr. Maldonado. It was a pleasure to work under a great leadership and professional environment and great person. Good luck.