Dr. Kristian O’Connor named associate vice president for Research

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Ani Yazedjian, has named Dr. Kristian O'Connor as associate vice president for Research, effective Monday, June 8, 2026.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Kristian O'Connor to the Redbird community," said Yazedjian. "His proven leadership in research administration, deep commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, and passion for advancing both innovative inquiry and creative scholarship make him an ideal partner in our journey toward an even more comprehensive and vibrant research enterprise. I look forward to working closely with Dr. O'Connor as we continue to expand our scholarly and creative capacity, secure new funding opportunities, and elevate the impact of Illinois State's students and faculty on a national and global stage. I also want to express my gratitude to Dr. Craig Gatto for postponing his retirement to serve in this pivotal role since December and ensuring a smooth transition."

O'Connor will lead the University's efforts to enhance research capacity and infrastructure, expand external funding and partnerships, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, elevate the visibility and impact of research and creative scholarship, and support faculty and student development.

"I was especially drawn to Illinois State University because of its balanced commitment to its research and creative scholarship, teaching, and civic engagement missions," O'Connor said. "I am excited to work alongside faculty to advance impactful research and creative scholarship, and I look forward to contributing to Illinois State's continued growth towards becoming a top-tier R2 and potentially beyond."

O'Connor currently serves as the associate vice provost for Research and professor of biomechanics in the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

O'Connor brings deep expertise in research administration and a strong background in institutional leadership, guided by a collaborative, consensus-building, and solutions-oriented approach. An APLU Council on Research Leadership Fellow, O'Connor has a demonstrated record of strategic leadership through his roles as department chair, shared governance leader, institutional strategic planning leader, and most recently, interim vice provost for Research and Graduate School dean at UWM.

During his time with UWM's Office of Research, O'Connor has led critical improvements to research infrastructure to better serve campus needs, developed robust policies and procedures supporting research integrity and compliance, and optimized research development and internal award programs to support faculty. He also has led institutional strategic efforts to identify high-impact areas of campus scholarship and has led UWM's involvement in the inter-institutional Clinical & Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin. O'Connor has focused on supporting all forms of research and creative scholarship. He is most proud of leading the development of internal award programs that currently support the needs of more individual faculty members in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

As a faculty member, his primary research has centered on the biomechanics of musculoskeletal injury, with extensive experience as a principal investigator on NIH-funded research projects, technology transfer and commercialization efforts, and industry partnerships. He has published in journals, including the Journal of Biomechanics, Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise, and Clinical Biomechanics.

O'Connor holds a Ph.D. in exercise science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a Master of Science degree in exercise science from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in physics from Colorado College.