University of Oklahoma Names Matthew Wade Hulver Vice President for Research and Partnerships

NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma announced today Matthew Wade Hulver, Ph.D., will become the first universitywide vice president for research and partnerships, effective June 1, pending OU Board of Regents’ approval. This new role integrates the university’s research enterprise across campuses to accelerate growth and increase the university’s impact.

“We are thrilled to welcome Matthew Hulver to the OU Family as our new Vice President for Research and Partnerships,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “With his exceptional record of leadership, innovation and impact in advancing university research and strategic partnerships, Dr. Hulver is uniquely positioned to help elevate research at the University of Oklahoma to even greater heights – uniting our campuses in pursuit of the bold aspirations within our Strategic Plan, transformative collaboration and global distinction.”

The VPRP serves as a key member of the university’s senior executive leadership team and plays a central role in advancing OU’s refreshed Strategic Plan, particularly Pillar 1: Lead as a top-tier public research university, Pillar 4: Lift the health of Oklahoma, and Pillar 5: Shape the future through discovery, creativity and innovation.

Since the launch of the university’s “Lead On, University” Strategic Plan in 2020, OU’s research enterprise has grown rapidly. In 2023, OU ranked No. 71 in the nation for overall research expenditures at $437 million, according to the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development survey. OU now ranks among the top 8% of research universities nationwide, positioning it as the fourth fastest-growing research institution in the country.

OU also remains among the top 100 patent-holding universities in the United States, an indication of OU’s research impact on technology commercialization and fostering economic growth in Oklahoma and nationwide.

Hulver joins OU from Arizona State University, where he most recently served as vice president of knowledge enterprise initiatives, based in Washington, D.C. In that role, he expanded ASU’s national and international presence by fostering strategic partnerships with federal agencies, policymakers, global research institutions and industry leaders to drive research innovation and economic impact. His accomplishments include advancing international memorandum of understanding efforts to foster collaboration in strategic priority areas, shaping large-scale strategic initiatives aligned with federal and institutional priorities in areas such as energy, critical minerals, space and defense, and supporting collaborative research partnerships such as the Mayo Clinic–ASU Alliance for Healthcare.

For the past year, Hulver has served as interim managing director of ASU Research Enterprise (ASURE), a research nonprofit to increase university-derived technologies and research and development activities into applied mission-ready solutions for defense and national security.

During his tenure as ASU’s Vice President of Research from 2021 to 2024, Hulver contributed to advancing the university’s research enterprise during a period of significant growth, culminating with the institution's election to membership in the Association of American Universities. In that role, he improved operational efficiency within the research office, contributing to an environment in which research expenditures increased by approximately $300,000 over three years. He supported the advancement of several major federally funded research proposals, including a $70 million Department of Energy Clean Energy Manufacturing Institute award and a $15 million NSF Regional Innovation Engine award. He also contributed to the development of strategic research priorities across health, national security, sustainability, space exploration, and emerging technologies – areas that align well with the University of Oklahoma’s research strengths.

Additional experience includes roles at Virginia Tech, including as executive director of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute from 2020 to 2021; assistant dean of health sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, from 2018 to 2020; co-director of the Center for Transformative Research on Health Behavior from 2016 to 2020; and the department head for human nutrition, foods and exercise from 2013 to 2019.

Hulver holds a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree in exercise science from McDaniel College and a bachelor’s degree in fitness management from Marietta College.