Joon Cho is Assistant Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Minnesota. His career in public higher education has focused on research, innovation, and strategic partnership development. Through leadership roles in Louisiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Virginia, he has advanced initiatives that strengthen research capacity, economic competitiveness, and priorities connected to national security. He also brings experience supporting mission-driven startups and ventures that translate innovation into broader public impact, while helping students and emerging leaders explore pathways in national security and public policy.