Keith joined JMU in 2009 as a faculty member in the Department of Engineering in the College of Integrated Science and Engineering. Dr. Holland received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia. Prior to joining JMU, he served as the Vice President for Research and Development at AVIR Sensors, a technology spin-off company based on a patented optical sensing technology developed as a Research Associate at UVA. Throughout his professional and academic career, Dr. Holland has engaged in research and development efforts with NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, and industry partners. While at JMU, Dr. Holland developed collaborative faculty and student research opportunities in wind and solar energy, aerospace applications, manufacturing, electronics, and materials science.

Dr. Holland brings to this role a wealth of JMU and administrative experiences, including two years as the co-Interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship. Prior to this, he served as the Assistant Academic Unit Head for the Department of Engineering. Keith chairs the Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICCE) Council and the ChangeMaker Implementation Task Force and is a member of the University Economic Development Council. He continues to lead grant-funded efforts to connect faculty research and scholarship with regional economic development interests. As the Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Keith will continue to facilitate research and scholarly opportunities with external partners, support faculty and student innovators, and facilitate strategic cross-disciplinary scholarship initiatives.