Dr. Daryll B. DeWald is the fourth chancellor of WSU Spokane and the first Vice President of WSU Health Sciences. He stepped into the role of chancellor in 2017 and has been serving as vice president since 2019. In 2023, he assumed the role of Executive Vice President of WSU Health Sciences.
An experienced academic leader and a successful life sciences researcher, DeWald is passionate about higher education and providing avenues for students, faculty, and staff to succeed. Joining WSU in 2011 as dean of the former College of Sciences, he led the merger that resulted in WSU’s College of Arts and Sciences.
As Vice President of Health Sciences and Chancellor of WSU Spokane, DeWald has worked closely with the leadership of the human health sciences colleges headquartered in Spokane, the colleges of nursing, pharmacy, and medicine. He has guided the expansion of research, educational programs, community partnerships with healthcare organizations, and community ventures; resulting in programs that support both the success of students and the economic vitality of the region.
DeWald earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Wyoming and a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Texas A&M. He did a postdoctoral at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine before moving to Utah State University. At Utah State University, he served as Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor as well as Department Head. He then transitioned to WSU and is a tenured professor in Washington State University’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
DeWald feels fortunate to have had a career encompassing scientific research, education, and university leadership because it has allowed him to invest in others.