An internationally recognized scholar in chemical engineering and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Charles F. Zukoski was named provost and executive vice president for academic affairs on June 1, 2012 following an international search. Provost Zukoski replaces Satish K. Tripathi, who is now UB’s 15 President. As the university’s second ranking officer, Provost Zukoski will be a key partner with President Tripathi in building on progress already under way to transform UB into one of the nation’s premier public research universities.
Provost Zukoski joined UB from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was the Elio Eliakim Tarika Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. At Illinois, Zukoski served as head of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and as vice chancellor of research. Prior to joining UB, he also served as the Chair of the Science and Engineering Research Council in Singapore.
As vice chancellor for research, Zukoski led major changes in technology commercialization and economic engagement activities. He oversaw the establishment of the Office of International Research, which built strong partnerships between the university and institutions in Singapore, India and Cyprus. Zukoski also established three multidisciplinary research institutes: the Institute of Genomic Biology, the Institute of Advanced Computing and Technology and the Institute of Natural Resources Sustainability (now the Prairie Research Institute). He played leadership roles in the establishment and funding of the Illinois Center for Computing in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and in the building of the Energy Biosciences Institute an innovative partnership between BP,the University of Illinois, the University of California-Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Provost Zukoski was named one of the Hundred Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. His research, which investigates suspension mechanics, protein crystallization and nanoparticle self-assembly, has been continually funded since 1985.
Provost Zukoski holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Reed
College and a PhD in chemical engineering from Princeton
University.
The provost and executive vice president for academic affairs is the university’s chief academic officer and is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the university’s academic vision. The provost provides leadership across the academic enterprise through the articulation and support of academic priorities. These priorities include excellence in undergraduate, graduate, and professional education; faculty excellence in teaching, research, and public service; intellectual, geographic and cultural diversity of faculty and students; trans-disciplinary innovation in research, scholarship, and creative activities; and global leadership in research and education. As the university’s second ranking officer, the provost reports directly to the president.