Meet the Provost
Dr. Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy is the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at UT Permian Basin. He came to UTPB in 2020 as the Associate Vice President of Research and Dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. Dakshinamurthy has also served in multiple administrative roles on campus including Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Health Science.
“I am honored to have been selected to serve as the Provost at UT Permian Basin,” said Dr. Dakshinamurthy. “I have an unwavering commitment to lead by example and build strong partnerships that mutually benefit and expand the University’s role in fostering and supporting our students, faculty, and staff and UTPB’s strategic plan and goals.”
“Dr. Dakshinamurthy has held several leadership positions in his career and at UTPB. I am looking forward to having him serve in the critical role as the Chief Academic Officer on campus. His commitment to our academic excellence at UTPB is inspiring. Our students, faculty, and staff will benefit from his leadership, experience, and passion for student success,” said UTPB President, Dr. Sandra Woodley. “Since arriving at UTPB more than three years ago, Dr. Dakshinamurthy has continued to display a commitment to our academic success and the critical role our faculty and staff play in those objectives—a key attribute that will serve him and the University moving forward in his new position.”
As the Provost at UTPB Dr. Dakshinamurthy will serve as the Chief Academic Officer, the second executive in charge. He will lead our five academic colleges which have upwards of 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates.
Over the past 10 years, Dr. Dakshinamurthy served in various administrative roles, including vice president for research, Academic dean, Graduate dean, Executive director of research and sponsored program, graduate program director, and assistant department chair. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a dual Master of Science and Philosophy in Chemistry from St. Joseph’s College in India. He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry and structural biology from the University of Arkansas. He has been recognized several times for excellence in teaching, research, and professional service.
He is a bioanalytical chemist by training, spending his professional career researching protein structure and function, drug discovery, and biological nanomaterials. As a researcher, I have over 40 publications in high-impact journals and 350 research presentations related to the field of biomedical sciences. Additionally, he secured a patent for synthesizing gold nanoparticles capped with drugs. As an investigator, he received more than $10 million in external grants. He’s served as a faculty member at two different institutions and served on several professional organizations.
Fun Facts About Dr. Raj
Lightning round:
- Favorite book – The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi | Reflection
- Favorite movie – Fast and Furios movies! | Driving
- Favorite sitcom - Big Bang Theory | OH Dear Sheldon
- Favorite music - A. R. Rahman | Slim Dog Millionaire
- Favorite food – Tiramisu | Best invention
When you aren’t busy as Provost, what can we catch you doing?
During the fall semester, attending and supporting our football team! I'm also looking forward to attending more UTPB sports events because the energy and sense of community are invigorating. Way to go, Falcons!
Additionally, I am binge-watching 'Suits'. It's a great way to recharge when my schedule allows.
What do you value most about UT Permian Basin?
I deeply value the "student first" culture at UTPB. It truly resonates with me, but you can see this in the commitment from our faculty, staff, the administration, and specifically Presiden Woodley. The community at UTPB wants our students to thrive as students and engaged citizens.
This is truly a fulfilling role, and I look forward to the continued growth at UTPB and how our graduates can make a meaningful impact in their community.