IT Veteran Viji Murali Named to UC-Davis CIO Post

Higher ed IT veteran Viji Murali is stepping into the role of chief information officer and vice provost of information and educational technology at the University of California, Davis.

Murali comes to the university from a seven-year stint as vice president for information services and CIO for the Washington State University system. She succeeds Pete Siegel, who left UC Davis last year, and Professor Prasant Mohapatra, who served as interim vice provost and CIO.

"UC Davis is incredibly fortunate to recruit someone with Viji's experience and expertise," said Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi in a university statement. "She is a leader in her field, and her efforts will be essential in realizing our Vision of Excellence."

"I am excited to be joining a university with such a wonderful reputation, to lead the IT enterprise that contributes to the university's excellence, in everything from student success to research," said Murali in a press release. "I intend to develop a shared vision with the faculty, staff and students, and we will move the institution to even greater heights."

Murali's nearly three decades of experience in higher education IT include several positions at the University of Arizona as well as the vice president for information technology and CIO role at Western Michigan University, where she served for eight years before joining WSU.

According to the UC-Davis faculty and staff news service, her accomplishments at Washington State included:

  • High-speed, 40GB-capable connectivity for faculty, linking WSU with other national research networks, including the Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON) and the Pacific Northwest Gigapop;
  • IRON connections for the system's urban campuses, allowing for the installation of several high-performance computing clusters for research;
  • Wireless-N technologies and a new VoIP system; and
  • Classroom upgrades across the state to support high-definition video.

Murali received a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from the Women's College at Osmania University in India and a master's in organic chemistry from Osmania's College of Science; at the Regional Research Laboratory, affiliated with Osmania, she worked toward a doctoral degree in organic chemistry.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • consumer electronic devices—laptop, tablet, smartphone, and smart speaker—on a wooden surface with glowing AI icons hovering above

    OpenAI to Acquire Io, Plans Consumer AI Hardware Push

    OpenAI has announced plans to acquire io, an artificial intelligence hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive. The deal is aimed at creating a dedicated division for the development of AI-powered consumer devices.

  • Jasper Halekas, instrument lead for the Analyzer for Cusp Electrons (ACE), checks final calibration. ACE was designed and built at the University of Iowa for the TRACERS mission.

    TRACERS: The University of Iowa Leads NASA-Funded Space Weather Research with Twin Satellites

    Working in tandem, the recently launched TRACERS satellites enable new measurement strategies that will produce significant data for the study of space weather. And as lead institution for the mission, the University of Iowa upholds its long-held value of bringing research collaborations together with academics.

  • computer monitor with a bold AI search bar on the screen

    Google Reimagines Search with AI Mode

    About a year after launching AI Overviews in its flagship search offering, Google has announced broad availability of AI Mode in Search.

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    OpenAI Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.