OIST Appoints Karin Markides as New President
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Karin Markides as the university’s next President and CEO, beginning on June 1, 2023.
Dr. Markides was selected by the OIST Board of Governors, following the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee, which led a comprehensive, global search.
Dr. Markides completed her doctorate degree in analytical chemistry at Stockholm University. Since then, she has served as a researcher at Brigham Young University in the U.S.; professor and dean at Uppsala University in Sweden; visiting professor at Stanford; deputy-director general of Vinnova, the Swedish innovation agency; president and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden; and, most recently, as president of the American University of Armenia (affiliated with the University of California system). She is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science and was on the Nobel selection committee for Chemistry.
Among many awards, distinctions, publications, and patents, Dr. Markides has held national and international governance and advisory roles, including on the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS),[1] Sweden’s Scientific Council for Sustainable Development, the Swedish Globalization Council, the Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research,[2] and RIKEN’s Advisory Council (The Advanced Science Institute, Japan).
“Dr. Markides is a trusted, respected, and inclusive leader who brings with her leadership acumen and strategic understanding of how to move forward world-class universities,” says Cherry Murray, Chair of OIST’s Board of Governors. “Her experience in international settings make her the perfect choice for OIST as it flourishes in its second decade.”
“I am honored to have been selected as OIST’s next President and CEO,” says Dr. Markides. “OIST has an exceptional list of accomplishments in its short history. I am looking forward, with great anticipation, to joining this engaging and inspirational community of faculty, researchers, students, and staff, and making a bold contribution to the university’s promising future.”
[1] The Alliance for Global Sustainability is an international partnership between Chalmers University and three other institutions worldwide (MIT, U.S.A; ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Tokyo University, Japan) with the aim of pursuing research and development within complex global issues, focusing on environmental science and sustainable development.
[2] The Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research (CESAER) is a not-for-profit international association with more than 50 major universities in 28 countries in Europe and around the world. It is recognized as one of the twelve ‘Key European Stakeholders for Research Policy’ by the European Parliament and its research service.
