Michael Carolina

C. Michael Carolina earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Oklahoma State University and his Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma. He graduated from AT&T’s prestigious Executive Development Program in Princeton, NJ.

Mr. Carolina has held various management and executive positions with the Western Electric Company, AT&T, and Lucent Technologies where he was deeply involved in engineering, strategic planning, new product design and translation, project management, manufacturing, and joint venture operations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Following his 25-year career in the private sector, he served as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) from 2005 – 2022. In 2023, he was appointed part-time as professor of practice and associate director of the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation in the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology at Oklahoma State University. On August 1,2025 he was appointed Director of the Zink Center.

Over his professional career, Mr. Carolina has served—or is active on—numerous boards, committees and councils, including the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering (emeritus status) at the University of Oklahoma, the Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council at Oklahoma State University, the President’s Advisory Council at the University of Central Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. In 2016, he was inducted into the University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society. In 2018, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the OSU Alumni Association. He also served an appointed term (2021 – 2025) on the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) Standing Council.

Mr. Carolina and his wife Sharon reside in Edmond and he continues to contribute to community development, promoting education and advancing science and technology in Oklahoma and beyond.

Committees: Chair – Scholarship; Executive