Georgia State University Names Donald Hamelberg as Vice President for Research, Economic Development
Media Contact
Amanda Dobbs
ATLANTA — Georgia State University has announced the appointment of Donald Hamelberg (Ph.D. ’01) as the new vice president for Research and Economic Development, effective June 1. Hamelberg, a Distinguished University Professor in Chemistry and interim vice president, brings 17 years of dedicated service and leadership to this critical role.
Following a comprehensive national search process, Hamelberg’s selection received strong support from the Georgia State community. Feedback from faculty, staff and stakeholders on the four finalists who presented on campus was instrumental in the decision.
“Donald has excelled as a leading researcher and a committed teacher, mentor and administrator,” said Georgia State President M. Brian Blake. “Over the last several months as interim VP, he’s become a trusted member of our leadership team, leading strategic planning efforts to elevate the university’s research profile, streamlining internal processes and launching bold initiatives that emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration and high-impact scholarship. I’m excited to work with him to continue growing Georgia State’s research excellence.”
Prior to his interim role, Hamelberg served as associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Arts & Sciences and chaired the Department of Chemistry. He has held numerous academic leadership positions including associate chair, director of graduate studies and professor of chemistry. Recently, he was named a Distinguished University Professor in Chemistry, recognizing his outstanding contributions.
As an active researcher, Hamelberg’s work in computational biophysical chemistry has earned multiple prestigious grants. He has published extensively, serves as editor of the journal Computational Biology and Chemistry (Elsevier) and is a reviewing editor for eLife. His accolades include the NSF CAREER Award and honors from the American Chemical Society and Georgia Cancer Coalition.
A proud Panther alumnus, Hamelberg earned his Ph.D. from Georgia State in 2001 and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois Chicago, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of California, San Diego.
Hamelberg expressed his enthusiasm for the role and the future of research at the university.
“I am grateful to President Blake, our university leadership and our entire Panther community for the trust you have placed in me,” he said. “These are challenging times for research. While the road ahead may not always be straightforward, I am excited by the opportunities we have to spark innovation, support emerging scholars and advance our shared mission. Together, we will write the next chapter of research at Georgia State.”
