On August 30, JoonHyung (Joon) Cho joined the Research and Innovation Office leadership team as assistant vice president for external affairs and communications. In this newly developed role, Cho is responsible for executing strategies on external engagement and communication that advance the University of Minnesota's research and innovation mission. In close coordination with the vice president for research and innovation (VPR), Cho is responsible for day-to-day-management, coordination, and relationship building with external partners (federal agencies, industry, academic institutions, and policymakers) to build and advance external funding opportunities for all research communities at the University. This role also oversees RIO’s communications office, a key vehicle for building support for University research and showcasing UMN research, technology, and commercialization successes.
Cho has held numerous leadership roles at research institutions with a strong background in corporate engagement, research business development, strategic initiative fundraising, and technology commercialization. Most recently, Cho served as the director of corporate relations and business development at the University of Virginia, where he collaborated closely with university leadership and key faculty to develop and implement a comprehensive corporate engagement strategy. Before that, Cho was director of industry relations at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he leveraged his background in science and expertise in intellectual property development to design and execute successful research business development strategies. He began his career at Louisiana State University AgCenter supporting agricultural research innovation. Cho holds a BA in chemistry from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN and a MS in inorganic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
"Joon brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective that I am confident will greatly benefit our organization and partners," said VPR Shashank Priya. "He will be working closely with colleagues across the University and with our partners in government, business, and industry that will help to drive our strategic initiatives forward and open new funding opportunities for our researchers."