Kivanc Oner

As UNLV’s first Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Information Officer, Kivanc Oner is redefining IT to support the university’s progressive vision, driving innovation to build customer-centric experiences that give students a competitive advantage.

A leader who has transformed the IT landscape in higher education for 20 years, Kivanc understands how new technologies can impact the industry. He is a strategic risk-taker and explores ways to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to advance learning, teaching, and research at one of the most diverse R1 institutions.

Collaborating with campus and community partners, Kivanc is growing the number of digital services that provide customized experiences. He led the creation of the Digital President Whitfield (DPW) to reach the student population. The first of its kind, the AI and online avatar personally connects with students anytime, anywhere, to find the information they need. Like the real-life president, DPW is empathetic about students’ well-being, having deeper conversations about mental health, and knowing when to direct them to wellness resources.

Under Kivanc’s leadership, UNLV also introduced an AI-based chatbot to support a student’s life cycle. When a student starts a chat in the Rebel Success Hub, the chatbot is able to identify the individual and to provide answers relevant to them to help the student progress in their academic journey. The chatbot is an extension of new services offered at the university that help to improve student success, retention, and graduation rates.

Kivanc advocates the continued discovery of generative AI beyond IT professionals, championing faculty to address policies, share resources, and better understand how generative AI (ChatGPT and other tools) work through hands-on experience. With the help of faculty, university leadership, and local supporters, Kivanc is championing efforts to implement more AI tools to keep the research institution on the cutting edge of technology.

Kivanc holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Bogazici University in Turkey and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He holds several technical certifications from Salesforce, Oracle, and others.