After years of distinguished service and leadership at the Ford School, Robert Hampshire will be taking on a prestigious new role as executive director of research development in the Vice President of Research and Innovation Office at the University of Minnesota. He will work closely with university leadership, including President Rebecca Cunningham, who formerly served as vice president for research and innovation at the University of Michigan.
“I’m excited to launch this new office focused on leading and catalyzing partnerships between the university and industry, government, and foundations,” said Hampshire. “Our goal is to build large, interdisciplinary teams that can tackle major societal challenges and make a tangible impact—not just at the Twin Cities campus, but statewide. I see this work as convening researchers and stakeholders around problems that truly matter in people’s lives, whether that’s in transportation, health, agriculture, or business.”
Hampshire joined the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy faculty as an associate professor in 2018. He also contributed to the university’s broader research community, serving as a research associate professor with the U-M Transportation Research Institute's Human Factors group and the Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS), and as an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering. At U-M, he developed and applied operations research, data science, and systems approaches to address structural inequalities in both public and private service industries. His research has focused on the management and policy analysis of emerging mobility and networked industries—including smart parking, connected and autonomous vehicles, ride-hailing, bike sharing, and car sharing.
The Ford School was the bridge that connected his academic work to the world of practice, Hampshire said.. “It all started at Michigan—the Ford School was everything,” Hampshire shared. “My time there truly opened my eyes to the breadth and depth of policy expertise, and the power of working across disciplines. The environment pushed me to think more holistically and critically, especially through experiences like teaching my Smart Cities course, which brought together students from engineering, urban planning, business, law, and public policy. Being able to work and learn alongside such outstanding colleagues and students not only shaped the way I approach research challenges but gave me a new respect for collaboration. That ethos of putting rigorous research into action for the public good will guide me in this next chapter.”
Hampshire’s expertise earned him a federal appointment in 2021, where he served as Chief Science Officer and Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation. During this time away from the Ford School, he advised Secretary Pete Buttigieg, coordinated $1 billion in research and technology programs, and oversaw research, development, and technology activities across the department’s agencies.
“At USDOT, I saw firsthand the scale and urgency of challenges like transportation safety—where more than 43,000 people lose their lives annually in vehicle crashes—and the power of bringing together all hands from across the department to make a difference,” Hampshire recalled. “It takes all kinds of approaches—from social sciences, humanities, engineering, and medicine. These experiences reinforced my belief that the most effective solutions come from interdisciplinary teams and sustained collaboration.”
Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes noted, “Robert Hampshire has brought extraordinary vision and an unwavering commitment to excellence throughout his career at the Ford School. We are proud to see him take on this important leadership position at the University of Minnesota, and know he will continue to make an impact at the highest levels of research and public service. His colleagues and students here deeply appreciate his mentorship, scholarship, and friendship, and we wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter.”
Hampshire says he expects his Michigan connections to remain strong as he enters this new chapter: “Partnerships are at the heart of the work ahead, and I look forward to continuing to engage with Michigan faculty, students, and initiatives on future research projects.”
The Ford School thanks Robert Hampshire for his exemplary leadership and service, and wishes him continued success in this important new chapter.