As an accomplished scholar and engineer, Dr. May oversees the most comprehensive campus in the University of California system, serving over 40,000 students. Under his leadership, UC Davis has achieved Top 10 recognition in four national university rankings and the university’s research programs have secured over $1 billion annually in sponsored research promoting innovation and enhancing America’s economy.

Throughout his career, Dr. May advanced inclusion in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – by creating and growing programs aimed at enhancing career mobility and upskilling to meet market demand for highly skilled professionals in emerging, industry-transforming technologies, including data analytics, cybersecurity, and software development. In 2015, President Barack Obama honored Dr. May with the Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring. He also has received the Lifetime Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. May was a National Science Foundation graduate fellow and an AT&T Bell Laboratories graduate fellow and worked as a member of the technical staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories. He is a former member of the National Advisory Board of the National Society of Black Engineers.