“Leadership is the capacity to create bold vision for the future, inspire others to translate the vision in to reality”
– Magesh T. Rajan
Leadership
My professional career path showcases two decades of achievements through a unique blend of higher education research and academic leadership with entrepreneurial and corporate endeavors.
As the Vice President for Research and Innovation at Prairie View A&M University—a member of the Texas A&M University System—I provide vision and strategic leadership for the university’s research, innovation, and economic development mission for three campuses with overall fiscal management of $105.8 million.
I serve on the President’s Cabinet delivering strategic leadership and advocacy for all disciplines, promote inter-disciplinary research, oversee 15 units/areas, and facilitate internal and external partnerships for broader innovation and economic development.
In the realm of academic leadership, I have measured success as a Department Head with Dean’s responsibilities where I reported to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. I have diligently led and managed all administrative and academic aspects for the unit, including budgetary, fiscal, and personnel management, as well as donor and alumni relationships and fundraising. Simultaneously, I achieved research leadership success as Executive Director for Plasma Engineering and gained more than 10 years of entrepreneurial experience in founding and leading three successful technology-based start-up companies.
As a creative and vision-focused executive, I have planned and executed complex strategic plans for organizations that have resulted in documented transformative success. From the formation of a mission, vision, and core values to formulation of plans for implementation, collaboration, retention, growth, and development and monitoring and assessments of goals, I have championed teams, departments, business and research enterprises, and organizations through seemingly unsurmountable challenges onto measured success.
From COVID-19 disruptions to natural disasters, I have successfully steered organizations on towards excellence in undergraduate and graduate student retention and academic success, expansion of programs, curriculum innovation, funding growth, and expanding of industry partnerships, resulting in strengthening the university’s infrastructure and the elevation of the campus’s awareness of research, strong curriculum, a diverse and inclusive student body, improved faculty effectiveness, and improved donor engagement with alumni, foundations, and industries.
Highlights of my Leadership
Visionary & Strategic Leadership:
Demonstrated bold and visionary leadership in the planning, development, and execution of multiple transformative and inclusive vision and strategic plans at diverse institutions and steered the academic and research programs towards growth and excellence. PVAMU: 2021- 2026 Prairie View A&M University’s Strategic Planning for research, innovation and economic development. Vision, Mission, Goals, and Strategic Planning for the Division of Research and Innovation units. Created 6 Core Values for the Division: Excellence, Integrity, Loyalty, Leadership, Respect, and Selfless Service, and incorporated them into the culture. SDSMT: Collaborative and inclusive vision and strategic planning and development for the academic unit with faculty, staff, students, industry, alumni, and community participation at SDSMT. Strategic roadmap for graduate program growth, faculty funded research, student success, curriculum innovation, and fundraising growth. Leadership for the university “Strategic Enrollment Planning” committee. TAMUCC: Led Collaboration theme of University Strategic Planning at TAMUCC.Diversity & Equity:
Unique experience in serving at diverse higher education institutions of varied student diversity. Extensively served in Minority and Minority Serving Institutions (MI/MSI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), Historically Black University (HBCU) and Predominantly White Institution (PWI).
Significantly increased staff diversity (82% increase) and faculty diversity (53% increase) by gender, race, language, and ethnicity in the areas that I have led.
Supported, mentored and matriculated over 300 grad/undergrad diverse and underrepresented Hispanic and African American students, which includes 55% female, 80% Hispanic or African-American students, 73% first-generation students, 45% international students.
Inclusion & Shared Governance:
Mentor and advisor for programs that support minority and underrepresented students, such as Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program, McNair Scholars Program, SACNAS (Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans).
Served as a faculty senator elected by the faculty to represent the college on faculty and academic affairs. Practiced inclusive and shared governance leadership in decision making. Instituted several faculty/staff-led committees and councils for inclusive governance and decision making in several initiatives.
Research Leadership:
Transformed research enterprise despite challenges and disruptions caused by global pandemic, budget restrictions, and hiring freeze. Within three years, the extramural funding increased by 236% to $47M, Restricted Research awards increased by 140% to $20.4M, and Research Expenditures increased by 70% to $30M, the proposal counts increased by 100% to 300+, and the requested amount increased by 80% to over $200M. Oversight of 6 research centers and institutes with a $37M budget and fiscal operations. Successfully provided oversight of IRB, IBC, IACUC, Farm/Ranch Animal Wellness Program, and export controls affairs.Academic & Enrollment Leadership:
Developed new academic programs such as Electrical Engineering Ph.D., Electrical Engineering BS Minor, Electronics Engineering & Technology BS Minor, and Systems Engineering BS Minor. Developed Electrical Engineering BS, Mechanical Engineering BS, Online Mechanical Engineering Technology programs. Several cycles of successful program and university accreditations such as ABET, SACSCOC, HLC, etc. Achieved 350% enrollment growth in MS Electrical Engineering, and achieved Top 24 national rank, and increased the program visibility. Grew enrollment from 75 to 400 students, 433% growth over 5 years. Played a key role in implementing a new BS in Mechanical Engineering program, and international student recruitment.Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Leadership:
Created 4 new offices for Innovation, Commercialization, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development and significantly increased the services, 45 IP portfolio partnerships with industries and corporations, 20 MOU’s, and 16 start-ups. Leading the development of a 50 acre, $100M Innovation-Economic Development Corridor for the region, including a $10M Innovation-Entrepreneurship Center to boost the 5,300 jobs creation, $766M / year and $3.9B long-term economic impacts on the State of Texas. Successfully founded and established 3 start-up companies in TX and SD on technology based commercialization through university supporting regional entrepreneurial and economic development. Grand winner of Texas Business competition awarded by the Mayor of Corpus Christi, Grand Statewide Winner of Wisconsin Governor Business Competition awarded by Governor Jim Doyle.Fundraising & Fiscal Leadership:
Provided leadership and oversight for managing a $100.8M fiscal budgeting and operations. Significant experience in organizational strategic leadership with business acumen augmented through the management and entrepreneurial experience. Demonstrated 125% growth in the fiscal budget. Provided stewardship for over $70M to strengthening the university infrastructure projects including academic, program development, curricular improvement, teaching, laboratories, research, innovation, student success, and other leadership initiatives. Supported to build a $7M modern Solar Observatory. Established a strong alumni and donor engagement and relationship. Provided stewardship for a $2.3M development funds, with over $0.5M in cash and $1M in in-kind donations from corporate partners. Launched a 100-year anniversary fundraising campaign with a $10M target for a new academic and research building.Faculty, Staff & Student Success:
Raised funding to create an Office of Faculty Research Advancement to strategically support large funding pursuits, supported 84 active PI on 212 RFP’s. Provided internal funding support for over 160 faculty research. Created a research training institute that impacted 450+ faculty. As Dept. Head, recruited 12 faculty with 100% search success, supervised 18 faculty, and achieved 100% P&T success. Established an equitable faculty workload.
Raised $0.5M to revive Undergraduate Research and increased by 105% in UG research scholars & faculty mentors. Provided funding support for 153 UG research scholars and 115 graduate students through a new VPRI Funding Program. Established an Undergraduate Research Council (UGRC) and led an International Conference on UG Research Excellence. Achieved 98% student placement record.
Significantly invested in staff development through monthly training series, mentoring, and nurturing a progressive growth mindset. Provided $1,000 funding for each staff professional development, created a STAR Staff Award Program, and recognized outstanding staff boosting team morale.