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James E. Davis

President, The University of Texas at Austin

James E. Davis is President of The University of Texas at Austin. Davis has served the university since 2018, previously as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and as Vice President for Legal Affairs and Business Strategies. Davis founded the university's Discovery to Impact research commercialization program and played central roles in projects including the Texas Institute for Electronics semiconductor consortium.1

At a glance

Current role
President
Sector
University
Education
UT Austin
Work listed
2
Sources cited
1
Profile reviewed

Career

Davis practiced law as a partner at Locke Lord and later served as a Texas Deputy Attorney General, leading the civil litigation division and advising state agencies and boards, including the University of Texas System and UT.1

Davis joined UT Austin's leadership in 2018 as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and as Vice President for Legal Affairs and Business Strategies, and became the university's President.1

University projects

The president's office credits Davis with central roles in the Texas Institute for Electronics semiconductor consortium, a new academic medical center for the Dell Medical School and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and Innovation Tower. Davis also founded the Discovery to Impact research commercialization program and established the university's proof of concept fund for faculty entrepreneurs.1

Work and contributions

  • Discovery to Impact

    Founded the university's Discovery to Impact program, which supports the commercialization of faculty research.1

  • Texas Institute for Electronics

    Played a central role in developing the Texas Institute for Electronics semiconductor consortium.1

Timeline

  1. Joined UT Austin's leadership as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.1

Other documented roles

Roles the sources document that are not confirmed as current.

  • Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; Vice President for Legal Affairs and Business Strategies (from 2018), The University of Texas at Austin1
  • Deputy Attorney General, leading the civil litigation division, Office of the Attorney General of Texas1

Where they work

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References

1 sources · profile reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · data updated Oct 22, 2026

  1. About the President — The University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin · Official page · accessed Oct 22, 2026