Travis Thul helps oversee the Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota, leading the academic division, HR, finance, IT, and student services units. That’s in addition to overseeing five graduate programs, three graduate minors, one undergraduate minor, industrial short courses, and subordinate departments. Since he joined in 2021, Thul has helped rebuild the institute’s academic and administration divisions, resolve a $500,000 structural deficit, and launch new programs. In the last 18 months, he helped spearhead the Minnesota Center for Electrification Opportunity, the launch of the Minnesota Semiconductor Manufacturing Consortium, and other advanced manufacturing upskilling programs to combat low employment in the electrification talent space.