University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella announced Friday the appointment of Elliott Cheu as interim chief information officer, effective Jan. 6. The appointment follows the announcement of current CIO Barry Brummund's retirement, which will take effect on Jan. 17.

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"As a University Distinguished Professor of Physics, Dr. Cheu is an accomplished scientist and educator, in addition to his well-earned reputation as an exemplary administrative leader," Garimella said. "Dr. Cheu's knowledge of our university research community, his dedication to student success and his demonstrated capacity to identify and address issues and challenges make him the ideal person to lead UITS during this important transition."

Cheu brings extensive leadership experience to the role, having served in several interim leadership positions, including most recently as interim senior vice president for Research and Innovation. As interim CIO, Cheu will review the university's information technology needs, including the central IT division's collaboration with academic colleges and other units. His priorities include advancing high-performance computing, modernizing financial and HR systems, and addressing remaining centralization and coordination needs.

"The University of Arizona's success as a student-centered research university depends upon a robust and adaptive information technology environment," Cheu said. "I look forward to working with the professionals of the UITS division and university leadership to ensure we have the IT infrastructure and processes needed for all of us to succeed."

Cheu will serve as interim CIO while the university conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.