Image courtesy of the University of California, Davis
Prasant Mohapatra will begin his new position at USF on March 1.
The University of South Florida’s newest Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs was announced this morning by USF President Rhea Law.
Prasant Mohapatra, former vice chancellor for research at the University of California, Davis, will begin his role as provost on March 1.
“I am honored to accept this role and to join the University of South Florida community,” Mohapatra said in a press release.
“As I learned about this opportunity, I became deeply impressed with how the university is transforming the lives of its students, addressing some of society’s most challenging issues through high-impact faculty research and serving the Tampa Bay region with its commitment to strong community partnerships. USF is clearly an institution on the rise, and I look forward to helping us achieve our strategic goals and aspirations,” he said.
Mohapatra, whose academic background is in computer science, held a variety of roles during his time at UC Davis –– dean and vice provost of graduate studies, associate chancellor, interim vice provost and CIO and chair of the Department of Computer Science.
Outside of his collegiate career, Mohapatra has earned numerous academic achievements. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as an accomplished researcher in the areas of cybersecurity and computer engineering.
“When I became president, I said that one of my first and most important priorities was the selection of our next provost – a decision I did not take lightly,” Law said in today’s emailed announcement.
“Throughout our national search, including last fall after we brought the first four finalists to USF for campus visits, we remained committed to continuing with the process until we found the best possible fit for USF. I believe Dr. Mohapatra has the right vision and experience to help advance the trajectory of our university.”
As provost, Mohapatra will report directly to Law, acting as second-in-command to the university. His responsibilities include strategic planning, management of enrollment and overall effectiveness of the university.
Until Mohapatra’s start date, Eric Eisenberg will remain as interim provost.
