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Santa J. Ono

Professor Santa J. Ono was recently appointed to a second term as UBC’s 15th President and Vice-Chancellor. Prior to joining UBC, Professor Ono served as the President of the University of Cincinnati (UC). Earlier in his career, Professor Ono served in a variety of teaching, research and administrative positions at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and the Schepens Eye Research Institute, University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. He was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012, inducted as a member of the National Academy of Inventors in 2014, and inducted into the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars in 2015. His principal research interests focus on the immune system and eye disease. During his time at UBC, Professor Ono has led the process to create the university’s strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century. He also spearheaded initiatives to advance UBC’s strategic priorities, including supporting world-changing research, attracting top faculty members in a wide range of disciplines, and promoting interdisciplinary work across the university. He was instrumental in launching and leading the Blue & Gold Campaign for Students, the largest fundraising campaign for students in UBC history. He has also focussed on strengthening UBC’s commitment to reconciliation, worked to increase diversity and helped further build on UBC’s reputation as a sustainability leader in addressing the climate crisis. Updated 2020. An earlier version of this article was originally published in 2016​.