(Mobile, Ala.) – 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 previously served as Chair of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Board. He serves or previously served as a board member on the EDPA Foundation, the Alabama Germany Partnership and BioAlabama.

He has served at the University since 2015. In 2021, he was appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey to the newly formed public-private corporation branded as Innovate Alabama and helped launch a supplemental funding program to leverage private investment with public dollars for economic development. He has served as principal investigator on several National Science Foundation grants supporting research, innovation and entrepreneurship. He has created and championed programs for small and minority-owned businesses.

Prior to joining USA, 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 a bachelor and law degree from the University of Alabama and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Geneva.