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ST. LOUIS — University of Missouri President Mun Choi has appointed Chris Spilling as interim chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis, effective July 1, following the retirement of Kristin Sobolik.
Spilling currently serves as vice chancellor for research and economic and community development and professor of chemistry. He brings more than 35 years of dedicated service to UMSL, during which he has played a central role in strengthening the university’s research enterprise, fostering innovation and expanding regional and national partnerships.
“Dr. Spilling is a highly respected scholar, administrator and campus leader with deep institutional knowledge and a strong record of advancing research, innovation and community partnerships,” Choi said. “I am confident he will provide steady leadership and continuity for UMSL during this transition while helping advance the university’s mission and strategic priorities.”
Throughout his tenure, Spilling has held numerous leadership positions, including chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2004 to 2015 and chair of the Faculty Senate and University Assembly from 2012 to 2014. He also spent a year at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom during a sabbatical leave. Across these roles, he has earned widespread respect for his collaborative leadership style, strategic thinking and commitment to shared governance.
An internationally recognized scholar and innovator, Spilling has published more than 90 peer‑reviewed research papers and is a named inventor on 10 issued and pending patents. He maintains an active research program focused on developing new chemical methods and studying naturally occurring compounds, with applications in the discovery and design of potential treatments for infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, sepsis and malaria.
“I am grateful to President Choi and the Board of Curators for their trust and the opportunity to serve in this interim role,” Spilling said. “My priority during this transition is to ensure continuity, support our students, faculty and staff, and maintain momentum on the university’s strategic priorities while the search for our next chancellor moves forward.”
Spilling’s contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2009 St. Louis Award for Chemistry from the American Chemical Society, the 2009 University of Missouri President’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the 2015 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the American Chemical Society and of the National Academy of Inventors. He also serves on the boards of the Center of Research, Technology and Entrepreneurial Expertise (Cortex), the API Innovation Center, and North County Inc. Spilling earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Loughborough University in England and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University.
The national search for UMSL’s next chancellor is being conducted in partnership with AGB Search and the University of Missouri System executive recruitment team. The university remains committed to a transparent process that reflects the voices of UMSL faculty, staff, students and alumni. Additional information about the process, timeline and updates is available on the chancellor search webpage.
Reviewed 2026-04-17