I’m honored and excited to begin my tenure as UC San Diego’s eighth Chancellor. Yesterday, on my first day, I had the opportunity to meet with staff and faculty, interact with students who are here for summer camps, visit the Sapphire Energy company founded by UC San Diego faculty, and chat via Skype with alumni who are also beginning new chapters in their lives. They gave me great insight into how UC San Diego has shaped their lives and careers, and the positive impact the university has on our community and the world.

Chancellor Khosla. Photo by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

I recognize that the greatest strength of any university is its people. In the days, weeks and months ahead, I look forward to meeting with our campus and community members, and to have an inclusive process to develop a vision and plan for the future of this campus. It is my goal to support the exceptional scholarship and education here, and to take UC San Diego to the next level.

I am impressed with the strength of our education and research in a diverse array of disciplines. I think UC San Diego is poised to play a critical role in addressing societal challenges – issues such as water, environment, energy, food, healthcare and wellness for human beings. We have capabilities in every one of these areas, and our people have the ability to work seamlessly across disciplines and departments. And that makes this a unique research university that will continue to make an impact on our world.

I am aware of the challenges ahead, especially with the decline in state funding. I think we have a choice – we can wait for the state budget to rebound or we can seek other reliable revenue through partnerships and our own innovation. I like the latter approach since it is not mutually exclusive of the former. I will be looking for ways to empower faculty members and administrators at all levels so that we can expand our academic programs and research enterprise, to work with government and industry, and to boost philanthropy at the university.

We must do everything we can to ensure the success of our faculty, staff and students. They are our current and future leaders; they advance knowledge, improve our quality of life, give back to our community and contribute to our economy.