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Didier Contis, executive director of Academic Technology, Innovation and Research Computing within ɫ����’s , has been named chief information officer and vice provost for Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison). He will begin his new role July 7. 

Contis, who joined ɫ���� in 1999 as a research engineer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has served in several senior leadership roles across the Institute’s IT landscape. His past positions include chief information security officer, associate vice president for Data Strategy and Analytics, and director of Technology Services. 

In his current role, Contis has led strategic efforts to advance academic and research technology at ɫ���� – with a focus on expanding access to high-performance computing resources and fostering collaboration between central IT and academic units. 

Among key accomplishments, Contis helped launch ɫ����’s first GPU-enabled virtual computer lab, secured grant funding from Cisco Systems to develop a hands-on cybersecurity lab, and supported the creation of a federated private academic cloud to enhance research and instructional capabilities. He also played a central role in the development of the AI Makerspace initiative in the College of Engineering, aimed at empowering faculty and students to explore artificial intelligence in instruction and experimentation. 

“Didier has been a driving force behind some of the most innovative and impactful academic technology initiatives at ɫ����,” said Leo Howell, vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer. “His leadership has helped elevate our approach to research computing and academic innovation, and we are proud to see him take on this prestigious new role at UW–Madison.” 

Contis holds a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from ɫ���� and a Diplôme d’Ingénieur from the École des Mines de Nantes in France. He has also contributed to national research efforts, serving as a co-principal investigator on a National Science Foundation project and co-authoring an EDUCAUSE white paper on privacy and ethics in extended reality environments. 

ɫ���� will announce interim leadership for the Academic and Research Technology office in the coming days.