University of Alabama at Birmingham Provost and Senior Vice President Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D., has named Yogesh K. Vohra, Ph.D., interim dean of the UAB College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1. The search for a permanent dean will begin in August. In June, Kecia Thomas, Ph.D., announced her intention to step down as dean in order to focus on her research.
The selection of Vohra as interim dean came following discussions with College leadership about its “strengths, opportunities, future direction and the qualities sought in the next permanent dean,” Woodruff-Borden said. “Dr. Vohra’s record of research leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration make him ideally suited to guide the College of Arts and Sciences in the coming months.”
Vohra serves as associate dean for Research and Innovation in the College of Arts and Sciences and is a University Scholar. This spring, he was named Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics.
An internationally recognized physicist and materials scientist, Vohra is known for pioneering research in high-pressure physics, synthetic diamond technologies and nanostructured biomedical materials. He has written more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and holds six U.S. patents.
Vohra is the founding director of the UAB Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration and currently leads major interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the National Nuclear Security Administration-funded Center of Excellence. He also directs multiple federally funded education and workforce development initiatives, including NSF and NASA-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs and a U.S. Department of Education GAANN graduate training grant.