Morley O. Stone selected to lead Ohio State’s Office of Research

Morley O. Stone

The Ohio State University has named Morley O. Stone as the new senior vice president for research.

Stone joins Ohio State after serving as the chief technology officer at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. The university Board of Trustees will consider approval of his appointment this week.

In his new role, Stone will oversee strategic planning and infrastructure support for the university’s $864 million annual basic and applied research program.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Stone has built strong, strategic collaborations with academia, industry and government organizations, including Ohio State,” said President Michael V. Drake. “We look forward to our continued work together to uplift lives in our communities through outstanding research.”

Stone is recognized as an international leader in human performance and biomimetics with more than 25 years of experience in research and development. As the chief technology officer at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Stone oversaw more than $2.3 billion in science and technology programs and $2.5 billion in externally funded projects in areas ranging from materials science to space-based technologies.

He previously served as chief scientist for AFRL’s Human Performance Wing, and as a manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, created programs in bio-inspired sensors, robotics and more. Stone’s experience includes leading partnerships with the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Defense Health Agency.

“Further advancing our research enterprise is a key element of Ohio State’s Time and Change strategic plan — and vital to our DNA as a land-grant university dedicated to uplifting lives in our communities and around the world,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron. “Dr. Stone will help enhance our position among the top national and international public research universities.”

“I am excited to help implement the strategic vision for the Office of Research at The Ohio State University that will build upon the office’s current success while significantly expanding the university’s research footprint into new spaces,” Stone said.

Stone has published more than 90 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and holds more than a dozen patents and invention disclosures. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition, he serves as a fellow for both the AFRL and SPIE, the international society for optical engineering.

He holds a BS in biological sciences from Wright State University and a PhD in biochemistry from Carnegie Mellon University.