S. Jack Hu
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
203 Administration Building
Athens, Ga. 30602-1651
(706) 542-0415
provost@uga.edu
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Dr. S. Jack Hu was appointed Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost in 2019. In this role, he oversees instruction, research, public service and outreach, and information technology at the University of Georgia. The vice presidents of these four areas, the deans of UGA’s 18 schools and colleges, and the campus dean of the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership report to him. The Senior Vice Provost, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School also report to him, as do associate provosts for academic programs, faculty affairs, global engagement, the Morehead Honors College, and the libraries.
Prior to his appointment at UGA, Hu was Vice President for Research at the University of Michigan, where he oversaw a research enterprise that generates annual expenditures exceeding $1.5 billion and spans the university’s campuses in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint. As Vice President for Research, he promoted interdisciplinary research, developed and implemented research policy, provided central administrative services in support of faculty research, innovation, and economic outreach, and managed activities related to research compliance and the responsible conduct of research. He previously served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education in the U-M College of Engineering.
His research in manufacturing systems, assembly, and engineering statistics has been supported by more than $46 million in external funding from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, as well as corporations such as General Motors. Hu has authored or co-authored nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as several book chapters, government, and industrial reports. He holds eight patents, co-founded a startup company based on his research, and worked closely with several industry partners to enhance manufacturing quality and productivity.
Hu has developed and taught courses in design, manufacturing, and engineering statistics. He chaired the dissertation committees of more than 50 Ph.D. students, in addition to advising master’s students and mentoring undergraduate students pursuing research projects. He was twice recognized with the Teaching Incentive Award in the U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Hu is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP).
He is the recipient of several professional honors, including the ASME William T. Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award, the SME Gold Medal, and several best paper awards. In 2021, SME named him one of the 20 most influential academics in smart manufacturing.
Hu is a UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering in the UGA College of Engineering. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tianjin University in China and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.
