I am pleased to announce Kavita Radhakrishnan’s appointment as dean of the School of Nursing, effective immediately. Professor Radhakrishnan, who holds the Dolores V. Sands Chair in Nursing Research, has served as interim dean since March 6, 2026.
During her time as interim dean, Professor Radhakrishnan has provided strong and collaborative leadership while sustaining the School of Nursing’s momentum across its teaching, research, and service missions. In recent months, School of Nursing faculty have earned new federal and state research support, including an R01 grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research and grants supporting disaster preparedness and nursing education in Texas. Faculty members have also received statewide and national recognition for excellence in nursing practice, education, and research, while students have earned distinguished honors including a Pat Tillman Scholarship and a P.E.O. Scholar Award. During this same period, the school raised more than $5 million in philanthropic support.
Professor Radhakrishnan has been a member of the UT Austin faculty since 2012 and has served the School of Nursing in several leadership roles, including associate dean for research and director of the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing. An accomplished scientist and educator, she brings an interdisciplinary background spanning nursing and engineering. Her research focuses on the use of emerging technologies to improve chronic disease self-management and help older adults remain healthy and independent in their homes and communities. Her research has received more than $6.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. She has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American Heart Association and as an inductee into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
As the University continues building its academic health enterprise, the School of Nursing will be indispensable in advancing our academic mission and meeting the health care needs of our state and nation. Its faculty advance consequential research, educate and mentor the next generation of nurses and scholars, and translate knowledge into better care for patients and communities.
I have been grateful for Professor Radhakrishnan’s partnership and leadership during her service as interim dean, and I look forward to continuing our work together. Please join me in congratulating Kavita on her appointment and thanking her for her commitment to the School of Nursing and The University of Texas at Austin.
Sincerely,
