Indian-American named provost at Rochester Institute of Technology in NY

New York, Aug 11

Indian-American Prabu David has been appointed provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

David, who stepped into his new role on August 1, previously served as dean of Michigan State’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences, and WKAR radio and TV station for nearly nine years.

He was chosen after a national search led by a committee of Rochester's faculty, staff, students, and trustees.

"His history of fostering interdisciplinary research and building strong ties amongst health colleges, engineering, social sciences, the arts, and humanities, will serve us well as we strive to further develop our partnerships across all colleges," RIT President David Munson said in a statement.

"I’m confident that his presence will strengthen our leadership position in the areas of creativity and innovation as we continue to build our preeminence at the intersection of technology, the arts, and design."

Over the years, David has won awards for research, teaching, and design. His research focuses on media and cognition with active projects in AI and leadership. He has served as an investigator or co-investigator on projects funded by the National Association of Broadcasters, National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of State, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a university statement said.

"I am looking forward to strengthening ties between the city and RIT’s academic mission through active outreach and engagement," David, who succeeds Ellen Granberg, said.

From 2010 to 2015, he was professor and associate dean at the Edward R Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, where he was instrumental in developing undergraduate and graduate programs, recruiting faculty, and developing the administrative framework of a newly founded college. Prior to that, he was on the faculty at Ohio State University from 1993 to 2010, where he was assistant and associate professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies of the School of Communication, and Faculty Associate with OSU’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Center for Public Health Preparedness.

David graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Loyola College, Chennai, earned a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio University, and completed his doctoral degree in mass communication from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.