The Iowa Board of Regents has chosen University of North Carolina Vice President for Research Steven Leath to be the president of Iowa State University.

The regents made their decision Tuesday afternoon at a meeting at the Ames campus after meeting with Leath and Kumble Subbaswamy, provost at the University of Kentucky.

Leath will replace current Iowa State President Gregory Geoffrey, who has announced he will retire next year. Leath will become the 15th president in Iowa State history.

–AP