Dr. Harold Lee Martin Sr. was elected the 12th chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on June 8, 2009, bringing more than 30 years of transformative leadership experience in higher education. He is the first alumnus to serve as the university's chief executive.
Martin's leadership establishes long-range strategies and asserts tactical leadership to develop innovative approaches to firmly position the university in the global marketplace, which is outlined in A&T Preeminence 2020: Embracing Our Past, Creating Our Future. The bold, comprehensive strategic plan, led by Martin, sets the university on a course for making a significant difference in the lives of its constituents and the communities they serve.
An institution dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), N.C. A&T has realized its mission to provide diverse offerings of educational and interdisciplinary research opportunities. And, under Martin's leadership, A&T has become the nation's No. 1 public historically black college/university (HBCU), largest 1890 land-grant, doctoral higher research institution and largest HBCU. The university has maintained its No. 3 ranking for sponsored research in the UNC system, has received the Community Engagement Classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and, according to a recent economic study, created over $979 million in added state income and over $656 million in regional income.
In addition, Martin has been instrumental in establishing and fostering strategic partnerships such as the opening of the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at the Gateway University Research Park (South Campus) and playing a significant role in Opportunity Greensboro, the city's alliance between the seven colleges and universities and the business community that is intended to make Greensboro a national model for collaboration in knowledge-based economic development.
Before his election as chancellor of A&T, Martin served as senior vice president for academic affairs for the UNC system. He also served as the 11th chief administrator and seventh chancellor of Winston-Salem State University and in a number of administrative posts at A&T including acting chairman and chairman of the department of electrical engineering, dean of the College of Engineering and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
A proponent of community engagement, Martin lends himself to service on various boards including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Review Advisory Board, Research Triangle Institute, Piedmont Triad Regional Development Council, National Collegiate Athletic Association Historically Black Colleges and Universities Committee on Academic Performance and Limited-Resource Institutions Advisory Group, and the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), whose members were appointed by President Barack Obama.
In 2015, Martin was named to the EBONY Power 100 list and the Triad's Most Influential People by the Triad Business Journal, and he was one of the Triad Business Journal's 2016 Most Admired CEOs. Martin is a member of Tau Beta Pi-The Engineering Honor Society, Eta Kappa Nu Association, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, native received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from A&T and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.