Robert D. Coombe, 2005 July - 2014 June

Robert Coombe was born in 1948 in Kansas City, Missouri, and lived in Colorado for the majority of his life. He grew up in Denver and attended local public schools. He graduated in 1970 from Williams College, and in 1973 with a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Coombe then was a postdoctorate at the University of Toronto, and later worked at Rockwell International in California for seven years as a researcher.

In 1981, Coombe returned to Colorado and began his career in chemistry at the University of Denver. He became assistant dean of graduate studies from 1985 to 1987. He served as a chair in the department of chemistry and biochemistry from 1988 to 1995. He was dean of the division of natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering from 1995 to 2001. In 2001, Coombe was named the provost. As provost, Coombe established the Cherrington Global Scholars Program, a program that continues to impact the student experience today.

Robert Coombe served as the 17th chancellor of the University of Denver from 2005 to 2014. Coombe focused heavily on supporting and maintaining an excellent faculty body, increasing faculty tenure lines to attract the brightest and the best to the institution. During his tenure as chancellor, he invested in smaller student-faculty ratios and helped develop DU as a place of intellectual curiosity, incorporating interdisciplinary programming and pioneering dual-degree programs.

Coombe has two children. He is married to Dr. Julanna Gilbert, a professor in Denver's chemistry department. Coombe also holds other roles in the community. These include member of the Higher Education Working Group of the Council on Foreign Relations, on the Committee of Accountability of the Board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, member of the Rocky Mountain Regional Advisory Board of the Institute for International Education, and trustee of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.