We are delighted to announce that Professor Megan Valentine has agreed to serve as Co-Director of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). Previously, Professor Valentine was Associate Director of CNSI at UC Santa Barbara. This move represents unprecedented growth for the Institute and an increased dedication to serving the needs of California. “We are fortunate to have someone of Megan’s caliber and experience step up to help guide CNSI,” said Professor Craig Hawker who will continue as Co-Director. “We are at a critical moment for the UC-system and we need strong and dedicated leadership to successfully implement our strategy for growing research, forming industrial partnerships and building a diverse workforce. Megan is a research visionary with a proven track record of execution.”

Recent successes include the launch of the National Science Foundation (NSF) BioPACIFIC center with CNSI (UCLA) to enable the scalable production of bio-derived, next-generation polymers and the establishment of the first NSF-funded Quantum Foundry, a center for development of materials and devices for quantum information-based technologies.

“Megan’s elevation within the CNSI and California Institutes of Science and Innovation (CalISI) leadership teams is welcome and exciting,” comments Professor Jeff Miller, Director of CNSI at UCLA. “She brings deep expertise in both research and education and I am confident that CNSI will expand our impact as we execute on our strategy of delivering value to both campuses, the wider UC system, and the state of California.” The mission of the California NanoSystems Institute is to leverage public and private investment for nanoscience research at the interfaces between disciplines, translate discoveries into knowledge-driven commercial enterprises, and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Craig J. Hawker
Co-Director of the CNSI (UCSB)
Alan and Ruth Heeger Chair of Interdisciplinary Science

Jeffrey F. Miller
Director of the CNSI (UCLA)
Fred Kavli Chair in NanoSystems Sciences of Interdisciplinary Science