The University of Michigan has named Domenico Grasso its interim president. 

Grasso replaces Santa Ono, who announced on May 4 his decision to step down to take the role of president at the University of Florida.

"President Grasso is widely admired for his visionary work leading University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he has held the role of chancellor since 2018," said the Board of Regents in a message to the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and Michigan Medicine. "We have full confidence that President Grasso will provide steady leadership during this critical time of transition."

In addition to his responsibilities as interim president, Grasso will lead the university's search for its next president, which is set to begin in the coming weeks. 

"Being asked to serve as the interim president of the University of Michigan is a profound honor," said Grasso who, in addition to his chancellorship and his position as an executive officer of the Ann Arbor campus, is a professor of public policy and sustainable engineering at UM-Dearborn. "I offer my gratitude to the board and my promise to the community to meet this opportunity with energy, integrity and dedication to our shared mission." 

In Grasso's time at Dearborn, the university has seen its four-year graduation rate increase by 16% and its external research funding triple, allowing the school to achieve R2 status, officials said. 

Before joining Michigan's Dearborn campus, Grasso was provost and chief academic officer at the University of Delaware. He also held posts as Smith College's Rosemary Bradford Hewlett Professor and founding director of the Picker Engineering Program, which is the first engineering program at a women's college in the U.S. Earlier, Grasso served as dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and vice president for research at the University of Vermont.

Grasso earned his Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Michigan in 1987. He is a U.S. Army veteran who spent 10 years on active and reserve status. 

The Board of Regents will affirm Grasso's appointment at their next board meeting on May 15.