David Gillum

David Gillum is the Associate Vice President of Compliance and Research Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno. He oversees campus compliance and supports a successful and growing research enterprise, while ensuring an effective and robust safety culture. David is responsible for providing leadership to the Animal Resources, Environmental Health & Safety, Research Integrity and Security, and Sponsored Projects teams at the University.

David has more than 30 years of experience leading diverse and inclusive teams at institutions of higher learning and professional associations. He is an internationally recognized expert in safety, security, compliance, emergency planning and risk management.

David's experience encompasses the management of highly technical professionals and the initiation and coordination of complex, enterprise-level projects. He has an extensive background in strategic planning, budgeting, cost containment, crisis management, incident response, organizational development, and sustainability practices. David enjoys mentoring and coaching staff and students to help them achieve success in their endeavors.

David's academic interests include biotechnology governance, genome editing, synthetic biology, dual use research of concern and potential pandemic pathogen research. He is especially interested in how members of the public can have an active voice in the future of technology. 

David has written several research articles, including publications in Science, Slate Magazine, Issues in Science and Technology, StatNews, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Applied Biosafety, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and The Conversation. 

David was the 2020 president of ABSA International. In 2019, he was presented with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Directors Community Leadership Award in Washington, D.C.

David is an alumnus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in the Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University.

David grew up in Goldfield, Nevada, and graduated from Tonopah High School.