By Vince Gasparini | October 9, 2023
The State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees announced Dr. Melur K. Ramasubramanian as their new appointment for Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost. The vote, which was held on Aug. 29, was passed unanimously.
Dr. Melur K. Ramasubramanian
Photo Credit: Dan Addison / University of Virginia
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Ramasubramanian as he joins SUNY to help us push academic excellence to new heights and advance upward mobility for our students and communities,” the SUNY Board of Trustees said in a press release from SUNY.
Ramasubramanian has also been approved as the President of the SUNY Research Foundation (RF) by the SUNY Research Foundation Board of Directors.
“The SUNY Board of Trustees and SUNY Research Foundation Board of Directors unified these leadership roles in recognition of the seamless integration necessary to achieve SUNY's ambitious academic, research, and scholarship goals,” SUNY said in the press release.
“I eagerly anticipate contributing to SUNY's four pillars: student success; diversity, equity, [and] inclusion; research and scholarship; and economic development,” Ramasubramanian said. “I'll integrate research administration services through the RF and academic strategy via the Provost's office to achieve these objectives.”
“We are excited to partner with Dr. Ramasubramanian, who has extensive experience in these areas as he develops his agenda as the new SUNY provost to support our campuses with a focus on academic excellence and research innovation,” University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez said in a statement.
Prior to his appointment at SUNY, Ramasubramanian was program director for engineering research centers at the National Science Foundation (NSF). After his time with the NSF, Ramasubramanian was vice president for research and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Virginia (UVA).
During his time at UVA, Ramasubramanian was a crucial part of the university’s growing research in fields such as brain and neurosciences, environmental resilience, digital technology and society, and precision health.
“I've advanced UVA's research mission, propelling it from prominence to preeminence,” Ramasubramanian said. “My focus on fostering excellence spans all disciplines and across disciplines, resulting in record-breaking research growth last year, surpassing our five-to-seven-year goals.”
“As a first-generation college student who successfully navigated the challenges of modest resources and achieved social upward mobility through higher education, I am passionate about assisting similarly situated students in reaching their full potential,” Ramasubramanian said on how he will fulfill his new positions.
Ramasubramanian’s appointment will take effect on Nov. 6.
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