SUNY appoints new provost, president of research foundation

ALBANY, N.Y. — The SUNY board of trustees has appointed Melur (Ram) Ramasubramanian as executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

Ramasubramanian’s appointment is effective Nov. 6. He earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Syracuse University, SUNY said in a news release.

In addition, the board of directors of the SUNY Research Foundation also approved Ramasubramanian as president of the SUNY Research Foundation.

The SUNY board of trustees and SUNY Research Foundation (RF) board of directors unified these leadership roles “in recognition of the seamless integration necessary to achieve SUNY’s ambitious academic, research, and scholarship goals,” SUNY said.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Ramasubramanian as he joins SUNY to help us push academic excellence to new heights and advance upward mobility for our students and communities,” the SUNY Board of Trustees said. “At the same time, we are grateful to Dr. F. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik for her outstanding work and partnership as interim provost in addition to her roles in research and as a faculty member.”

Ramasubramanian recently served as VP for research at the University of Virginia and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

In reaction to the appointment, SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr said, “Dr. Ramasubramanian came to our country with few financial resources but an incredible drive to get the most from his education. He is an inspiration to first-generation college students like himself and to every student taking advantage of what an excellent education at SUNY can provide.”

Ramasubramanian is a “first-generation graduate who arrived in the United States with modest financial resources” after earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Durgapur, India, the release stated. He received a master’s degree in applied science from Miami University and before earning his doctorate at Syracuse University.