On January 5, Professor Bjorn Birgisson joined Nazarbayev University as Vice Provost for Research and Innovation. Previously, he served as Chair of the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Georgia.
In his new role, Professor Birgisson will oversee the University’s research strategy, drive the development of its innovation ecosystem, and foster partnerships with industry and government entities. He will work closely with Vice Deans for Research, playing a key role in strengthening NU’s position as a world-class university, increasing research funding, and expanding international and cross-sector collaborations.
Professor Birgisson is a globally recognized researcher in sustainable infrastructure systems, pavements and transportation engineering, and sustainable construction materials. He is an international member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and theEngineering Mechanics Institute.
Throughout his career, Professor Birgisson has held senior academic and research leadership positions at leading universities worldwide. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Engineering at Aston University (UK), he increased student enrollment by 45%. As Vice President for Research at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), he led the university to the top national ranking in European Union Horizon 2020 grant funding, reinforcing its standing among Europe’s leading technical universities. As a Distinguished Professor at Texas A&M University (USA), he founded and directed the Center for Infrastructure Renewal, which became a national hub for research in the field. Professor Birgisson holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
