University of Missouri System President Mun Choi named Dr. Christopher Maples the interim chancellor of Missouri University of Science and Technology Friday. The University of Missouri Board of Curators approved Dr. Maples’ appointment Thursday for one year.
Dr. Maples served as the president of Oregon Institute of Technology for eight years before his retirement in 2016. He previously held positions at Desert Research Institute in Nevada, the National Science Foundation and Indiana University.
“Missouri S&T is one of the leading institutes across the country in higher education that specializes in technical services, like engineering, physics and math,” UM System Chief Communications Officer John Fougere said. “Dr. Maples is a leader in higher education who has experience that will make him suited to be the interim chancellor.”
Dr. Maples said he thinks his time as president of Oregon Institute of Technology helped prepare him to be chancellor for Missouri S&T.
“I have a lot to learn about the culture and the things going well and the things that we can work on and improve,” Dr. Maples said. “It’s just been an exciting opportunity to come in and really try to do some good for the state of Missouri generally.”
Dr. Maples’ appointment comes after current Chancellor Cheryl Schrader announced she accepted the position as president of Wright State University in Ohio.
A national search for a permanent chancellor will begin this fall. Dr. Maples will not be considered as a candidate for the permanent chancellorship.