Fourth candidate vies for chancellor position at New Mexico State

New Mexico State University welcomed the fourth candidate for chancellor of the university on Wednesday.

Dr. Dan Arvizu was the longest serving director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He was also appointed by two successive U.S. presidents to serve six-year terms on the National Science Board.

“I’m an Aggie at heart,” Arvizu said. “Most importantly, I think I bring a set of attributes that are important for the kind of environment in which universities find themselves.”

Arvizu earned his bachelor Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

Arvizu told ABC-7 he wants to return to the university that gave him a multitude of opportunities serving the federal government and the science community.

“It’s a tremendous platform on which we can build,” Arvizu told ABC-7. “We have the opportunity through our land grant mission to be able to reach a lot of the underserved communities.”

A total of five candidates are vying for the role of chancellor of the university. The campus visits will finish on Friday.