Purdue University has announced a pivotal leadership transition within its health sciences division, appointing Preeti Sivasankar as the interim dean of the College of Pharmacy, effective October 1.
She succeeds Eric Barker, who served as pharmacy dean since 2017 and has been elevated to senior vice president for health affairs.
In her interim leadership role, Sivasankar will oversee the college’s comprehensive teaching, research, and engagement missions.
Her appointment bridges several strategic domains across the university. She currently serves as the vice president for research innovation, heading the Strategic Interdisciplinary Research division within Purdue’s Office of Research.
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Additionally, she will continue her executive oversight of the Lilly-Purdue 360 Initiative which is a $250 million partnership with Eli Lilly and Company aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence integration in drug discovery, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation therapeutics.
University leadership has indicated that a national search for a permanent dean will commence in the coming weeks.
Sivasankar brings an extensive academic and scientific background to her new post. Reflecting her international academic roots, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1996 and her Master of Science degree in 1998 from the University of Mumbai in India.
After moving to the United States for advanced graduate studies, she completed her PhD at Northwestern University in 2005.
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An accomplished NIH-funded scientist, Sivasankar’s research focuses on voice disorders and upper airway pathophysiology.
Her campus footprint includes serving as the former department head of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, alongside holding a courtesy appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and an adjunct role at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
She is an elected fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an associate fellow of the American Laryngological Association, and a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
As she takes the helm at the College of Pharmacy, her multi-disciplinary background positions the institution to navigate its next chapter of growth and healthcare innovation.