For CAHNR’s newest associate dean, this position is about increasing the scale of his life’s work. Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Kumar Venkitanarayanan has demonstrated success in obtaining research grants, supervising graduate students through to completion and supporting CAHNR as a team leader and player. “Now, I can use all my skills and experience and do it on a bigger canvas for the College,” he said about the new role he started in May.
Faculty is part of the picture
The portrait that he wants to paint as associate dean will include two main subjects, reflecting the “research” and “graduate studies” in his title. For example, Venkitanarayanan hopes to provide CAHNR’s research faculty members with increased funding opportunities to help them reach their goals in spite of the current economy. “I want to make it easy for them,“ he said.
One of his solutions for budgetary constraints is to “spread our wings wider.” This means he wants to identify previously overlooked programs, to apply for grants offered by different federal agencies and to cooperate with other universities in seeking funds. He thinks that the College has enjoyed much success with USDA grants, but it needs to diversify to improve the probability of receiving funding.
