Tomás Díaz de la Rubia is a science and technology leader, strategist, and administrator with extensive experience in national laboratories, academia, and the private sector. He has served as the Deputy Director for Science and Technology and Chief Research and Development Officer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a U.S. national security Federally Funded Research and Development Center focused on ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s strategic nuclear deterrent. He was a Director in the Strategy and Operations Energy practice at Deloitte Consulting, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Purdue University, and Vice President of Research and Partnerships at the University of Oklahoma. At present, he’s the Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships at the University of Arizona, an Association of American Universities member and Carnegie R1 institution executing over $1B in annual research expenditures across many areas critical to Arizona’s and the nation’s economic prosperity and national security. Tomas is a full professor of materials science in the college of engineering at the University of Arizona (U of A).

In his current role, Tomás is leading efforts to position the U of A as a national and global leader at the intersection to space and national security, AI and the future of health, sustainable mining and critical minerals, and the future of fusion energy and energy abundance for the planet. He is leading the development of a new strategic framework and plan for research across these vectors that will propel the university forward, while building on its strengths in space science, optical science and quantum systems, agriculture and the life sciences, biomedical research, environmental research and water, and the social sciences, humanities and fine arts. In parallel, he is focused on increasing the U of A’s impact on the local community and society overall through partnerships with the private sector, and the translation and commercialization of university discoveries and inventions into high value startup companies and technology licenses that create job and prosperity.

Tomás is a parent member of the Defense Science Board (DSB), which advises the Office of the Secretary of Defense on Science and Technology relevant to the security of the nation. He co-chaired the DSB’s study on Climate Change and Global Security, is a member of the permanent task force on nuclear surety and is currently involved in conducting a study on Advanced Technologies for Potential Future Conflict and Homeland Defense. He also served six years as a member of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) Intelligence Community Studies Board at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

Tomás is a board member of the Southern Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, currently chairs the Board of Directors of CRFD Global, a non-profit headquartered in Arlington, VA, with main offices in Kyiv, Manila, and Amman, Jordan, that contracts with the U.S. State Department and other government agencies to provide security assistance to U.S. allies around the world. He is a past member of the board of the National Defense Industry Association and serves on the board of advisors of several startup companies in Silicon Valley and New York.

According to Google Scholar, Tomás' publications h-index is 62, and he is listed as one of the top 2% of most cited scientists in the world in the 2023 Stanford/Elsevier ranking. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 

Dr. Sangita Judge has extensive operational and leadership experience, with a successful track record of driving organizational and cultural transformation in historically conservative educational and clinical settings. She has a PhD in Molecular Cellular Biology/Cancer Biology, a MSc in Microbiology, and an MBA with expertise in basic research, administration, and management.

Sangita previously served as University of Arizona Assistant Vice President for Research in the Division of Agriculture, Life & Veterinary Sciences & Cooperative Extension, Assistant Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, and Director of the College of Medicine Research Office where she developed the basic and clinical research infrastructure.

Carol Stewart, a long-standing authority on research parks, leads the UA Tech Park at Rita Road and is developing the UA Tech Park at the Bridges. She is also president of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, a technology business incubator network serving the University of Arizona, Tucson, and international community.

Carol’s expertise in university research parks spans decades and nations with more than 20 years of experience working with research parks, technology commercialization, business incubation, governmental relations, and business development.

As a pioneer in the research parks world, she has driven national policy, standardized programs, created national and international networks, built technology clusters, engaged stakeholders, and assisted countries with the development of their national science and technology policies.

Carol is passionate about her community and serves as a champion in university-based economic development. She is a member of Southern Arizona Leadership Council, the Flinn Foundation Steering Committee, Pima County Workforce Investment Board, Sun Corridor Inc., Arizona Technology Council, Desert Angels, City of Tucson Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Council, and the Canadian Global Mentor Program where she also serves on the Board of Directors for Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Doug Hockstad joined the University of Arizona in 2013 initially directing the IP and licensing function, building on more than 25 years of experience in high tech markets.

His career began in the software industry, where he gained experience with both established companies and startups. From there, Doug moved on to tech transfer at the University of Michigan, where his most recent primary responsibility was managing software and other copyright-related intellectual property created across the U of M campus. Doug has also served on the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Board of Directors, helping to set the strategic direction of the organization.

Kim Patten leads a team of research development professionals at the University of Arizona supporting faculty in their pursuit of extramural funding from federal, corporate, and foundation (through honors and awards) sponsors. Their work has resulted in more than $700 million in awards to the university since 2014. She advocates a holistic view of research development and the research lifecycle, emphasizing societal impacts of research (e.g., the incorporation and promotion of undergraduate research experiences, core community partnerships, and industry partnerships).

Kim currently serves on the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) Board of Directors (Term 2022-2026). Before joining the university, Kim managed national and international projects and programs in conservation, renewable energy, and distributed data systems. As Associate Director at the Arizona Geological Survey, she managed and worked with a $30 million research portfolio, including as co-principal investigator on a $3.6 million National Science Foundation (NSF) project and project manager of a $22 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project. Prior to that, she helped develop the research portfolio of a science-based non-profit organization and secured its first NSF funding.

Lisa Romero leads marketing communications, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement efforts for the University of Arizona’s research and innovation enterprise. She and her team work broadly within ORP and across the entire university to develop and execute a collaborative marketing communications and events portfolio designed to expand awareness of university research impact and thought leadership.

Lisa is a passionate and diligent champion for university researchers, innovators, and initiatives, and focuses her efforts around strategically and consistently communicating how their achievements create societal, economic, and workforce advancement.

Prior to joining the research office, Lisa served as the Executive Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Engagement for the BIO5 Institute from 2012 to 2022, successfully advancing brand impact for the bioscience powerhouse and its nearly 400 interdisciplinary, translation-focused faculty members from colleges, schools, and departments across the university.

She is a proven team and brand builder recognized for her expertise in driving success across large and complex enterprises including academic, scientific, corporate, and non-profit organizations. She has held leadership positions in six other high-profile organizations and has served as a consultant/advisor to many other companies and executives throughout her three-decade career.  As a native Tucsonan, Lisa is highly connected on campus and among key community and statewide stakeholders.

Lisa is a 2013/14 University of Arizona Academic Leadership Institute Fellow, 2017 recipient of the University of Arizona Team Award for Excellence, 2023 University of Arizona Woman of Impact, and 2024 recipient of the Public Relations Society of America Southern Arizona Chapter Career Impact Award. She serves as a member of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee.

Horst Hahn is an esteemed materials scientist and foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering and will serve as strategic architect for the university's fusion energy research initiatives, leading a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program that drives scientific innovation and fosters impactful collaborations and partnerships with academic institutions, national laboratories, the U.S. Department of Energy and the private sector. 

His appointment aligns with the university's commitment – supported by the Arizona Board of Regents – to positioning itself and Southern Arizona as a global leader in fusion energy engineering, technology, workforce development and commercialization. U of A President Suresh Garimella has identified the university's work in fusion energy as a strategic imperative.

Hahn has had a distinguished career in materials science and engineering, with decades of experience leading transformative research in advanced materials, nanotechnology and energy systems. His election to the National Academy of Engineering recognizes his contributions to the field, including the development of novel materials with applications in energy and industrial technology. 

Hahn is a Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors and the Materials Research Society, as well as a Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and the Indian National Science Academy. He also is an Honorary Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, a Bengalurua member of the Leopoldina – the German Academy of Sciences, and a member of the European Academy of Sciences. His work has earned him several prestigious awards, including the Robert Franklin Mehl Award from The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and the Heyn Denkmünze of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde – the highest award from the German Society for Materials Science.

Hahn has held key leadership positions, including executive director of the Institute of Nanotechnology at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, head of the KIT-TUD Joint Research Laboratory for Nanomaterials at Germany's Technical University of Darmstadt, and founding director of Germany's Helmholtz Institute Ulm for Electrochemical Energy Storage. His research focuses on high-entropy materials, nanocrystalline structures, printed electronics and energy storage solutions, and he has about 600 peer-reviewed publications and more than 70 patents.

As special advisor, Hahn will focus on securing funding, building collaborative networks and ensuring that the university's fusion energy engineering and technology initiatives align with national energy priorities and the drive to commercialize fusion energy in the next decade. He will cultivate strategic partnerships with industry, government agencies, research organizations and other academic institutions while providing expert guidance to university leadership on trends and advancements in fusion energy research. 

Additionally, Hahn will play a key role in shaping interdisciplinary research teams and securing competitive grants from agencies such as the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.

Reporting to the senior vice president for research and partnerships, Ebert will serve as the strategic architect for the university's AI and data science vision – leading an integrated, interdisciplinary program that builds on existing U of A strengths and is designed to accelerate innovation, expand research capacity and advance the university's role as a global leader in the responsible application of AI and machine learning. 

In addition to the appointment, Ebert will join the College of Engineering as a tenured faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In this role, he will help develop the college's new computer science engineering program, including advising on future faculty hires and research strategy in coordination with larger campus efforts. The anonymous donor's gift also included $1.5 million earmarked for the purpose of recruiting faculty.

Ebert's appointment comes at a pivotal time, as the university strengthens its position at the forefront of emerging technologies and aligns with national priorities in AI and data-driven research. His role will encompass fostering internal and external collaborations, integrating AI and data science across academic disciplines, and securing research funding to support societal-scale solutions in human health, environmental resilience, national security, space, the arts and beyond.

Ebert was most recently the Gallogly Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Data Institute for Societal Challenges at the University of Oklahoma, as well as chief AI officer and associate vice president for research and partnerships. Prior to that, he was the Silicon Valley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. He is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers fellow and recipient of the IEEE Computer Society VGTC Technical Achievement Award. He previously directed the Visual Analytics for Command, Control, and Interoperability Environments Center, part of the Department of Homeland Security's Visual and Data Analytics Center of Excellence. His research focuses on visual analytics, explainable AI, human–computer teaming and predictive analytics applied to complex, large-scale data challenges.

In his new role, Ebert will work across campus to coordinate the development of the university's new AI and health initiative and will integrate and unify existing data-centric programs in the Office of Research and Partnerships into a new Data Science Institute. He will collaborate across campus with academic, administrative and IT leadership to embed AI and data science into the academic enterprise and institutional decision-making. Ebert will also play a key role in forming high-impact research consortia and securing funding from agencies such as the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.