The Office of Research at Washington State University is pleased to welcome two experienced research leaders to key roles: Chad Kruger has been appointed Associate Vice President for Research Advancement and Strategy, and Donna M. Gerardi has been appointed Director of Research Engagement and External Partnerships.
In his new role, Chad will work closely with the Vice President for Research to provide long-range strategy and tactical planning, advancing WSU’s research mission in alignment with its land-grant purpose. He will lead system-wide efforts to expand WSU’s research impact through partnerships with industry, national laboratories, and cross-disciplinary consortia, addressing critical challenges and delivering solutions-oriented strategies for Washington state and beyond.
Chad brings exceptional experience in sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, energy systems, and more. He currently directs WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources (CSANR) and serves as assistant director for Agriculture, Extension, and Outreach for WSU’s Institute for Northwest Energy Futures. His experience spans numerous USDA, EPA, DOE, and state-funded projects focused on climate change, energy, and agriculture. He has played key roles in initiatives such as the Washington Food Policy Forum, the Washington Soil Health Initiative, and the AgSymbiosis Project, as well as innovative research collaborations on biofuels, specialty crop climate adaptation, and artificial intelligence in agriculture. Raised in a multi-generational Washington farm family, Chad also co-owns and operates a ranch in rural Eastern Washington with a small livestock operation.
In her new role, Donna will lead WSU’s efforts to build and strengthen strategic research partnerships with industry, federal agencies, and federally funded research and development centers. She will serve as WSU’s primary liaison to national research labs—including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)—and will oversee initiatives that foster collaboration through joint projects, workshops, and formal agreements. Her work will strengthen and expand WSU’s role in researching solutions to complex national and global challenges such as clean energy, nuclear science, climate resilience, advanced materials, AI and computing, sustainable agriculture, and national security.
Donna brings nearly four decades of experience in science policy and leadership. She served as Executive Director of the Washington State Academy of Sciences from 2017 to 2024, where she more than doubled its elected membership and expanded its influence through targeted projects and programs. Her distinguished career includes 14 years at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, where she founded and directed the Office of Public Understanding of Science. While working on policy issues at the California Council on Science and Technology in the 2000s, she was the co-architect of the first state-level Science & Technology Fellows Program to place scientists and engineers in a state legislature, a model that has inspired similar programs in more than 30 states. She is currently President of the National Association of Academies of Science, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Board Chair of the National Science Policy Network.
Please join us in welcoming Chad and Donna to these important leadership roles and supporting their work to advance WSU’s research and impact.