Chambers Named Chief Economic Development Officer

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Posted on April 3, 2024

Marketing and Communications

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Dr. Michael Chambers, associate vice president for research and economic development at the University of South Alabama, has been named chief economic development officer.

“The University of South Alabama’s role in workforce and economic development is important to the advancement of our region and state, supporting jobs for our graduates, opportunities for discovery and the Gulf Coast as top-choice destination to work and live,” said Dr. Andi Kent, executive vice president and provost. “This change better aligns our administrative functions to that responsibility and more accurately reflects the work he has already been leading.”

Chambers will serve on the President’s Council and will continue to report to the vice president for research and economic development.

Dr. Chambers has served at the University since 2015. He was appointed in 2021 by Gov. Kay Ivey to the newly formed Alabama Innovation Corporation, now Innovate Alabama, and helped launch a supplemental funding program to leverage private investment with public dollars for economic development.

He is the principal investigator for South’s National Science Foundation I-Corps program, which supports college students throughout our region in techniques to commercialize innovation, and has managed funding and reporting for dozens of faculty research projects that include industry collaboration. His work with the Real Advising Mentoring Program, or RAMP, has provided mentorship and support for more than 20 small business owners looking to accelerate their companies.

Prior to joining USA, Dr. Chambers founded and served as president and CEO of Swift Biotech, a company developing technologies to fight cancer. He also helped found and served as CEO of InnoRx Pharmaceuticals, an ocular drug delivery company.  He holds bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Alabama and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Geneva.

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