Chad Risko, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Research Development and Support
Faculty Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
Dr. Risko reports directly to the Associate Vice President for Research Development and Support (AVPR-DS), Dr. John Balk, and oversees postdoctoral fellows and steer programs including the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), Igniting Research Collaborations (IRC) and CURATE. This leadership role assists with aligning various research activities with the university’s strategic goals, enhancing operational efficiencies, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across campus. Dr. Risko also collaborates with the campus research community to identify needs and opportunities and assist the AVPR-DS in their implementation.
Dr. Risko is the John C. Hubbard Professor of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. With funding from sponsors including the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research, Dr. Risko’s research team studies how molecular building blocks of materials influence their formation and behavior, including electrical, optical and mechanical properties. The team develops computer models to better understand and predict these behaviors by combining ideas from chemistry, physics, data science and materials science.
He has served as faculty director of the Office of Undergraduate Research since 2021 and serves as associate editor of the journal Chemistry of Materials. He is also a member of the Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and the Materials Science Research Priority Area (mRPA).
Dr. Risko’s honors include distinction as a Cottrell Scholar, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Awardee, the UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award, and the College of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentoring.