Robert N. Shelton received his undergraduate education in physics at Stanford and his Ph.D. degree in Physics from UC San Diego in 1975. His academic career started at Iowa State University in 1978, as an Assistant Professor in Physics. He became full Professor in 1984 and was brought into UC Davis as the Chair of the Physics Department in 1987. In 1990, Robert was then promoted to be the Vice Chancellor for Research at UCD and in 1996, became the Vice Provost for Research at the UC President’s Office.
In 2001, Robert assumed the role of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hills. While in that capacity he effected policies enabling the Carolina Academic Plan to identify academic priorities and corresponding resource strategies that led to new program formation and structures.
Robert’s upward leadership trajectory continued with his appointment as the President of the University of Arizona in 2006, where he was instrumental in developing UA’s Medical Center at Phoenix. This was followed by the role as the Executive Director of the Arizona Sports Foundation in 2011, where he rescued their Fiesta Bowl as a national bowl system member. In 2014, he became the President of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, within which he forged successful partnerships with other foundations committed to supporting basic science research. From 2017 until January 2026, he served as President of the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization, promoting and raising funds to build this telescope in Chile that will enable breakthrough scientific discoveries ranging from studies of the first stars and galaxies in the Universe to the exploration of planets around other stars and search for life beyond earth.
