Chancellor S. Jack Hu

Tenth Chancellor, University of California, Riverside

Dr. S. Jack Hu began his service as the tenth chancellor of UC Riverside in July 2025. A mechanical engineer by training and a nationally recognized leader in advanced manufacturing, Dr. Hu brings nearly four decades of experience in education, research, academic leadership, and innovation to his role.

Prior to UCR, he served as senior vice president and provost at the University of Georgia, where he led the institution’s academic mission across 19 schools and colleges encompassing disciplines in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, physical, biological and agricultural sciences, engineering, health, and medicine. He oversaw the areas of instruction, research, public service and outreach, and information technology with the respective vice presidents of these areas. Dr. Hu partnered with deans and a provost task force on academic excellence to define and implement faculty hiring initiatives in precision agriculture, Parkinson’s research, data science and artificial intelligence, and electric mobility, and created the UGA Humanities Council—efforts that resulted in the creation of new research initiatives and centers to foster long-term, interdisciplinary collaboration. He also worked to strengthen enrollment planning across undergraduate, graduate, and online programs.

Previously, Dr. Hu served as vice president for research at the University of Michigan, overseeing a $1.5 billion research enterprise. He helped launch major interdisciplinary initiatives in data science and mobility technology, including Mcity, a public-private partnership for connected and automated vehicles. He also led the formation of several international partnerships for research and education.

A leader in manufacturing science, Dr. Hu has advanced the fields of assembly systems, materials joining, and quality control. His research has been supported by more than $46 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and major industry partners such as General Motors. He holds 10 U.S. patents and has published nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as conference papers, book chapters, and technical reports. His work has improved manufacturing processes and productivity in several industrial sectors.

Dr. Hu was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2015 for his groundbreaking contributions to manufacturing systems. He also served on President Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, advising the federal government on how to strengthen American industry.

He is an elected Fellow of several leading organizations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the National Academy of Inventors, and the International Academy for Production Engineering. He has received numerous honors for his contributions to research and engineering. In 2021, SME named him one of the 20 most influential academics in smart manufacturing.

A first-generation student, Dr. Hu earned his bachelor’s degrees in engineering from Tianjin University in China before completing his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan.

He is a strong advocate for the role of public research universities in advancing knowledge, driving innovation, transforming lives, and serving the public good.