COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
W. John Kao, president of National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, is one of three finalists for the University of Hawaii at Manoa chancellor position.
The search for the next chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa is nearing a key stage, with officials announcing W. John Kao as the third and final candidate for the position.
Kao, currently president of National Tsing Hua University, is scheduled to visit UH’s campus May 4–5, where he will meet with students, faculty, staff and community members as part of the selection process.
The announcement comes about a week ahead of his visit, in keeping with the university’s practice of maintaining candidate confidentiality until shortly before public forums.
Kao joins UH Manoa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos and San Francisco State University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Amy Sueyoshi as finalists.
Each finalist is participating in a public campus forum, where they present their vision for UH Manoa and answer questions. Kao’s forum is scheduled for 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on May 4 in the Kiawe Conference Room at Bachman Hall. The session will also be available via webinar, and recordings of all finalist presentations will be posted after the final visit.
Forums for the other candidates are set for Monday for Syrmos and Thursday for Sueyoshi, both at the same location and time.
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University officials said feedback from the campus community will play a critical role in the search. Input can be submitted through online forms that become available on the first day of each finalist’s visit, and candidates are also meeting with campus stakeholders and constituent groups during their time on Oahu.
Kao has led National Tsing Hua University since 2022. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at the University of Hong Kong and worked with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, where he focused on translational research and biomedical innovation.
He began his academic career at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and previously conducted postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology and ETH Zürich.
Kao holds advanced degrees from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
His research centers on biomaterials, drug delivery and regenerative medicine, with an emphasis on translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications. According to the university, Kao has secured more than $197 million in research funding and authored more than 350 scientific publications and patents.
As president of National Tsing Hua University, he has also raised more than $550 million to support institutional growth, infrastructure and academic programs.
The UH Manoa chancellor search advisory committee is expected to use feedback from the campus community to help inform its recommendation for the university’s next leader.