Thomas Royston

Thomas J. Royston was named interim vice chancellor for innovation and strategic partnerships at the University of Illinois Chicago in 2024. Royston also is a professor and head of the Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering.

A highly respected scholar and scientist, Royston is renowned for his research in mechanical wave motion and its applications in medical diagnostics and therapies. His numerous accolades include the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering’s Nagy Award and the Acoustical Society of America Lindsay Award. Additionally, he is a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Royston is an accomplished leader who has significantly expanded UIC’s biomedical engineering department, which now resides in the colleges of engineering and medicine. Under his leadership, the department’s faculty has doubled to 30 core members, undergraduate enrollment has nearly doubled, and external grant expenditures have more than tripled. The department also has successfully launched several medical technology startups. Additionally, Royston has been instrumental in establishing international dual-degree and exchange programs with leading institutions in Italy, India, and Ireland.