New vice president of innovation to shape new paths at ASU
Luna Lu brings a track record of research, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration to expand the university's innovation ecosystem
Luna Lu joins ASU in the fall as the new vice president of innovation and managing director of the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. She will also lead Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, which supports the region’s growing technology hub through collaborative partnerships. Lu previously worked at Purdue University as vice president in the Office of Industry Partnerships and brings extensive entrepreneurial and research innovation experience. Photo courtesy Purdue University/John Underwood
Growing up in a mountainside coal-mining town in China, Luna Lu was the first in her family to attend college.
That opportunity transformed her family’s future and sparked a career dedicated to improving lives through research, entrepreneurship and academic leadership.
Now, Lu takes the next step in her journey as vice president of innovation in Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise.
“I have tremendous respect for how ASU and President Michael M. Crow have transformed higher education for accessibility and excellence. There is real impact on people’s lives, and what’s not exciting about being part of this?” Lu says. “I am also excited to work with Dr. Sally Morton. Her leadership is a great example for the ASU community as we innovate and make an impact.”
Lu will also serve as managing director of the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. In her new role, she will spearhead entrepreneurship, innovation, corporate engagement, economic development, and strategic partnerships in Knowledge Enterprise.
“My vision is to unlock the full potential of ASU’s faculty, staff, students and the broader community. Phoenix has emerged as a major technological hub — not just for semiconductors, but as a leader in AI, national security, robotics, sustainability and health care.” Lu says. “This vibrant ecosystem provides a massive opportunity for ASU to amplify its economic and social impact and develop exceptional talent and human capital.”
Lu recognizes the fantastic work that the ASU community has already done to be repeatedly ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for innovation. She looks forward to getting to know her new team and how she can augment their existing strengths to further fuel ASU’s engine for translational research, economic and talent development, and industry partnerships.
“Luna is an accomplished researcher, entrepreneur and innovation leader with a proven ability to turn discovery into real-world impact,” says Sally Morton, executive vice president of Knowledge Enterprise and chief research and innovation officer. “Her experience building strong industry partnerships and advancing research commercialization will strengthen ASU’s innovation engine and help accelerate economic opportunity for Arizona and beyond.”
Lu has built an extensive background in corporate engagement, research innovation and entrepreneurship from more than 10 years at Purdue University. She most recently served as vice president in Purdue’s Office of Industry Partnerships. In this role, she led strategic collaborative initiatives between the university and business partners to drive innovation, research and economic impact for the state of Indiana. Under Lu's leadership, Purdue's industry-sponsored research awards reached a record high in fiscal year 2026, representing a roughly 80% increase from the previous year.
Additionally, she was the Indiana ACPA endowed chair professor in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, as well as the founding director of the Purdue Center for Intelligent Infrastructure, which advanced infrastructure systems through research innovation and workforce development. At ASU, she will serve as an ASU Foundation Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
Lu’s own research centers on the discovery and engineering of functional nanomaterials and devices to enable smart infrastructure systems. She has authored two books, six book chapters and more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, and holds 10 published and provisional patents. She is also a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and the Royal Society of Arts and has been recognized among Purdue’s most impactful faculty inventors for three consecutive years.
Her research has garnered several prestigious awards and honors, including the 2014 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the 2019 Purdue Faculty Scholar award, the 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers Gamechanger recognition, the 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers Alfred Noble Prize, a 2023 Time’s Best Invention award, the 2024 Edison Award and as a 2024 R&D 100 finalist.
Beyond her academic and research expertise, Lu is the founder of Wavelogix, a venture-backed deep tech startup. Its technology has been adopted as a national standard by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and it is currently used by the industry across more than 30 U.S. states and six countries.