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S. Jack Hu, whose Chinese name is Hu Shixin, officially assumed office as chancellor of the University of California, Riverside, in February, nearly seven months after being appointed to the role, becoming the first Asian American chancellor in the campus’s history.

The appointment also makes Hu, 62, the first Chinese American with an undergraduate degree from mainland China to lead a major U.S. public university.

“Our task now is to carry forward the spirit that built this university – a spirit that says every student, every family, every community in Inland Southern California has a stake in our success,” he said at a Feb. 5 ceremony livestreamed on YouTube.

“Our vision is this: UC Riverside will be the nation’s model for an inclusive, innovation-driven public research university – where excellence and social mobility advance together, and where discoveries, talent, and opportunity transform Inland Southern California and the world.”

Hu joined UC Riverside with nearly four decades of experience in higher education.

Before taking the role, he served for six years as provost at the University of Georgia and earlier as vice president for research at the University of Michigan, where he began his academic career as a graduate student in 1985.

At the ceremony formally recognizing Hu as chancellor, University of California President James Milliken described his career as one “committed to research, teaching, and public service with a personal understanding of the value of social mobility.”

As provost at the University of Georgia, Hu oversaw instruction, research, public service and outreach, information technology, and the university’s 19 schools and colleges. During his tenure, the university expanded interdisciplinary faculty hiring and increased annual research and development spending to more than $620 million in 2024, according to the institution.

Earlier, at the University of Michigan, Hu managed a research enterprise with annual expenditures exceeding $1.5 billion.

Janet Reilly, chair of the UC Regents, described Hu as someone “who has prepared for this moment throughout his career and life,” noting his journey as an immigrant who came to the U.S. to study engineering.

Hu is widely recognized for his engineering research, particularly in manufacturing systems, quality control, and productivity. Over his academic career, he secured $46 million in external funding from federal agencies and industry partners to support research conducted by students, faculty, and staff in his laboratory.

In 2011, he joined then-President Barack Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a national initiative aimed at strengthening American manufacturing through collaboration between industry, universities, and the federal government.

Hu is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and an elected fellow of four professional societies.

His honors include the William T. Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award, the DeVor/Kapoor Manufacturing Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Gold Medal from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and several best paper awards.

He holds 10 U.S. patents and has published nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as conference papers, book chapters, and technical reports. His work has improved manufacturing systems quality and productivity in several industrial sectors.

UC President James Milliken presents UCR Chancellor S. Jack Hu with the Chancellor’s Medal during the formal investiture ceremony on Feb. 5, 2026 at the University Theater. Photo courtesy of the university

Journey started with ‘one small suitcase’

Born in a small village in Hunan Province, China, Hu graduated in mechanical engineering from Tianjin University in 1983, becoming the first person in his rural family to attend university.

He later moved to the United States to pursue a PhD at the University of Michigan, completing it in 1990. He eventually rose through the academic ranks to become a professor and later served as vice president for research from 2015 to 2019 before moving to the University of Georgia.

Despite his achievements as a scholar and university leader, Hu said communication remained one of his greatest challenges, according to Chinese media outlet College Daily.

“How to communicate with people from different backgrounds, how to let others trust you, how to let yourself be regarded as one of them in an environment you are not familiar with, you cannot learn these things from a textbook. No one teaches you,” Hu was quoted as saying.

To overcome cultural barriers, he carefully observed and adapted to his surroundings, including how colleagues dressed, presented themselves, and interacted socially. He also followed sports to build common ground in conversations with peers.

Hu’s appointment came at a politically sensitive time in the United States, as the Trump administration then announced plans to revoke visas for some Chinese students and tighten screening procedures for international students.

Against that backdrop, Hu offered words of encouragement to young students.

“I came to America more than 40 years ago as a student, with only a small suitcase. You are who I was 40 years ago,” he said via College Daily.

He also said he believes the United States remains a dream destination for students worldwide and expressed hope that international students would continue to be welcomed and given opportunities to transform their lives.

“Those of us who came to study or work … we are contributing to education and economic development and to the country,” he told the Los Angeles Times.

Hu said immigrants play a major role in driving innovation and contributing to the U.S. economy, particularly through California’s technology companies and startups.

In 2021, Smart Manufacturing magazine named him one of the world’s 20 most influential scholars.

“Over his distinguished career at leading public research institutions, Dr. Hu has championed innovation and academic initiatives that have increased opportunities for students and faculty and have positively impacted their lives and the communities they serve,” said Michael V. Drake in a statement published on the university’s website.

“UC Riverside has established itself as a global leader in providing world-class scholarship. Dr. Hu has the academic acumen and collaborative mindset to move the campus forward with integrity and purpose.”