Houston, March 17 The University of Texas at Austin has appointed Dr. Kavita Radhakrishnan, an engineer-turned-nurse scientist born in Mumbai, as the Interim Dean of its School of Nursing, effective March 11, 2026.
This transition marks a significant milestone for the Indian-American academic community at one of the leading nursing institutions in the United States.
Dr. Radhakrishnan's career is a prime example of success across disciplines. After earning her degree in electronics engineering from the University of Mumbai, she moved to the U.S. to pursue a Master's in electrical engineering.
A volunteer stint at a Boston hospital sparked a career change, leading her to earn a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She joined the UT Austin faculty in 2012 and was recently inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
A prolific researcher with over $6.8 million in NIH funding, Radhakrishnan specializes in "Digital Health." Her work is uniquely tailored to the South Asian diaspora, utilizing "serious games" and wearable sensors to manage hypertension and heart failure – conditions that disproportionately affect Indian populations. She has also pioneered culturally sensitive interventions to break deep-seated taboos around end-of-life care planning within South Asian communities.
"I am honored to lead this community of innovators," Radhakrishnan stated. As Interim Dean, she will oversee the school's clinical partnerships and its mission to integrate AI and wearable technology into modern nursing education.