Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Dr. Brian Martensen
Dr. Brian Martensen joined the University of Washington Bothell as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs on August 1, 2025. He brings nearly 20 years of academic and administrative leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he served as interim provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, interim associate provost, and dean of the College of Science, Engineering & Technology.
Most recently, Martensen was the executive director of the Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute (MinnPoly), the state’s first polytechnic institute focused on experiential learning, applied research, and industry engagement. He launched MinnPoly in 2023 as part of a strategic initiative to connect students and faculty with real-world challenges through interdisciplinary learning. In 2024, the institute earned the Excellence in Curriculum Programming Award for its innovative Integrated Science and Technology degree, designed to meet the demand for broadly trained graduates in emerging fields.
Martensen has led campuswide initiatives supporting student success, equity, workforce development, and community partnerships. He is recognized for guiding institutions through periods of change, with an emphasis on collaborative leadership and strategic planning grounded in sustainable structures and inclusive processes.
A mathematician by training, Martensen began his faculty career at Minnesota State Mankato in 2006, where he later became chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He has also held academic roles at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the University of Texas at Austin.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s and Ph.D. in mathematics from Montana State University.
Martensen brings to UW Bothell a deep commitment to public higher education, interdisciplinary innovation, and building institutional capacity to meet the evolving needs of students and communities.