The University of Texas at Austin has confirmed Kavita Radhakrishnan as the fifth dean of its School of Nursing, placing a nurse scientist with an engineering background at the helm of the institution.
Radhakrishnan, who served as interim dean from March 6, 2026, officially assumed the permanent role on Sept. 1. She joined the UT Austin faculty in 2012 and holds the Laura Lee Blanton Chair in Nursing.
Radhakrishnan grew up in India, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from the University of Mumbai. She moved to the United States for graduate studies, completing a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.
While volunteering at a hospital in Boston, Radhakrishnan developed an interest in the analytical and human aspects of nursing, as well as technology’s potential to support patient care.
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That experience led her to pursue healthcare degrees, earning both a Bachelor of Science in nursing and a doctorate in nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Her research focuses on using technologies such as telemonitoring and digital tools to help older adults manage chronic health conditions and live independently in their homes.
Her scientific work has received more than $10 million in funding from entities including the National Institutes of Health, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, and Sigma Theta Tau International.
William Inboden, executive vice president and provost at UT Austin, cited her leadership and vision as essential for the school’s ongoing growth in education, research, and patient care.
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During her tenure as interim dean, the nursing school raised more than $5 million in philanthropic support and secured state and federal research grants, including two R01 grants from the National Institute of Nursing Research.
A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American Heart Association, she was also inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2025.
Radhakrishnan stated that her leadership vision relies on “strong roots and flexible branches,” maintaining core values of patient-centered care while adapting to transformations across higher education and healthcare technology.
“We are entering a defining era for nursing,” she said. “Higher education, health care and technology are transforming at an extraordinary pace, bringing challenges—but also unprecedented opportunities to reimagine how we educate, discover, care and lead.”