Building new capacity for AI-enabled research across One KU

Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Last month, we shared plans to strengthen research technology, data science and AI capabilities across One KU. Today, we are pleased to announce the next phase of that effort: new leadership and technical expertise that will expand support for AI-enabled research and help researchers move promising ideas into scalable, sustainable solutions.

Leadership
To help lead this work, Sushant Govindan, M.D., MSc, has assumed the role of senior associate vice chancellor and chief research AI officer. In partnership with Jeff Thompson, KU's senior associate vice chancellor and chief research informatics officer, he will help advance a coordinated approach to research technology, data science and AI across One KU.

Reporting to Chief Research Officer Matthias Salathe, Dr. Govindan will collaborate with Salathe, Vice Chancellor for Research Shelley Hooks and partners across the university to guide the continued development of KU's research AI capabilities and services.

Dr. Govindan brings extensive experience in artificial intelligence implementation, algorithm development, research innovation, data strategy and organizational transformation in complex healthcare and research environments. This includes multiple national leadership roles and enterprise-scale AI deployments in the federal government. Prior to assuming this role, he served in a part-time faculty appointment at KU Medical Center as vice chair of internal medicine. During that time, he contributed to KU's emerging One KU research AI strategy, including service on university AI and high-performance computing planning groups. His new appointment builds on those existing relationships and positions him to help advance AI-enabled research capabilities across the institution.

Expanding support
KU is also establishing a dedicated Research AI Operations team reporting to Dr. Govindan. The team will include four senior technical leaders with experience across federal, academic and private sectors. Their expertise includes enterprise-scale AI implementation, research software engineering, data and analytics platforms, multicloud architecture, and the secure deployment of AI solutions and digital tools.

Together, these capabilities will help researchers move promising ideas into practice, develop sustainable software and technology solutions, strengthen data-driven research, and access specialized expertise that supports innovation across disciplines.

Benefits for researchers
These investments add capacity that KU researchers have consistently identified as necessary to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and scalable solutions. By expanding expertise in AI, software engineering, data platforms, cloud architecture and secure deployment, KU will provide more coordinated support across the research life cycle. This will help faculty accelerate discovery, strengthen competitiveness for external funding and build sustainable capabilities that can grow with the university's research ambitions.

Working alongside existing expertise across the institution, these teams will help researchers overcome technical barriers and translate innovative ideas into broader research impact.

Looking ahead
In the coming months, faculty and staff will have opportunities to participate in conversations to help shape priorities, identify collaboration opportunities and inform the continued development of research technology and AI services across One KU. As with the planning efforts that informed this investment, engagement with the research community will remain central to our approach.

We look forward to partnering with you as we continue to build support for KU research.

Respectfully,
Matthias & Shelley

Matthias Salathe
Chief Research Officer 
& Senior Vice Chancellor

Shelley Hooks
Vice Chancellor for Research