Chris Mattmann has been named University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) first chief data and artificial intelligence officer. Mattmann is not only the first chief data and artificial intelligence officer at UCLA, but the first at any University of California campus.
In his new role, Mattmann will work with stakeholders across UCLA to develop and implement a strategic roadmap for data and AI innovations. He will focus on the ethical deployment of AI technologies while also enhancing UCLA’s capabilities in advanced data and analytics. According to UCLA leadership, his goal will be to foster a culture of innovation and discovery that is aligned with the campus’s mission.
“AI is rapidly becoming an important part of teaching, learning, research and administrative functions, making a role like this more important than ever,” said Lucy Avetisyan, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor and chief information officer, who created the groundbreaking position as part of her leadership team. “Chris will help bring our campus together around a shared vision for harnessing the emerging power of data and AI and play a crucial role in helping us navigate complex landscapes related to AI privacy, ethics and security.”
Mattmann joins UCLA after a 24-year tenure at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. At JPL, Mattmann most recently served as chief technology and innovation officer, where he created the next-generation data processing systems used in NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory and other earth science missions.
“I am honored to join UCLA,” Mattmann said. “My key priorities are to establish a robust governance framework related to AI and data and to foster campuswide collaboration around AI tools. This will ensure a commitment to ethical standards, leadership and collaboration around this exciting capability and help UCLA and the entire UC system create a future where AI benefits all members of our community.”
