Bro. Dr. Robert J. Jones | Alpha Pi Chapter

Bro. Dr. Robert James Jones, born in 1951, is an esteemed American crop physiology scientist and will become the 34th president of the University of Washington in July 2025. His appointment marks a historic milestone as he will be the university’s first African American president.

Prior to this role, Dr. Jones served as the 10th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 2016 to 2025, and as the 19th president of the State University of New York at Albany from 2013 to 2016. He was the first African American scholar to be appointed chancellor at Urbana.

Bro. Dr. Jones currently chairs the Board of Directors of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

At Illinois, he redefined the university's role as a 21st-century land-grant institution while honoring its legacy. Under his leadership, the university completed a record-breaking $2.7 billion philanthropic campaign, including two of the largest private donations in its history. He also spearheaded the creation of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine—the world’s first engineering-based medical school—and established the role of Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Education, and Inclusion to foster a more inclusive campus culture. The Illinois Commitment program, introduced during his tenure, guarantees four years of free tuition for in-state students from families earning under $75,000, reinforcing the university’s commitment to accessibility.

Bro. Dr. Jones also played a pivotal role in strengthening Illinois’ research enterprise. He co-chaired the Innovate Illinois initiative, appointed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, to attract federal research investments that position the state as a hub for emerging industries. Under his leadership, Illinois helped lead the $200 million Chicago Quantum Exchange and the $275 million Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, in collaboration with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University—efforts that place Illinois at the forefront of quantum science and biomedical research.

Originally from Georgia, Bro. Dr. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Fort Valley State College, a master’s in crop physiology from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in crop physiology from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He began his academic career in 1978 at the University of Minnesota, where he became a globally respected plant physiologist and a nationally recognized higher education leader. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of both the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

Bro. Dr. Jones is married to Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones, a musculoskeletal diagnostic radiologist. They are the proud parents of five children and have a growing number of grandchildren.