Prakash selected as UAF provost

May 11, 2018

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Daniel White today announced that Anupma Prakash will serve as the university’s next provost and executive vice chancellor.

Prakash first joined the UAF faculty in 2002 as an associate professor of remote sensing at the UAF Geophysical Institute and College of Natural Science and Mathematics. She has served as a teacher and researcher, department chair, associate dean and, most recently, interim CNSM dean and leader of the $24 million Alaska Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

“Dr. Prakash’s strong relationships with faculty throughout UAF, commitment to academic excellence and student achievement, and reputation as a steady leader who seeks diverse perspectives make her the right person to serve as our new provost,” White said.

The provost is the chief academic officer for UAF, overseeing its colleges and schools, the library and the University of Alaska Museum of the North, as well as several other academic support units, including Summer Sessions and Lifelong Learning, and eLearning and Distance Education.

"It is a real honor and privilege to serve as UAF’s next provost and executive vice chancellor. I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us—opportunities to build on a tradition of academic and research excellence, and to open doors for UAF students to meet the future needs of their communities,” Prakash said. “I look forward to working with our committed faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends in an inclusive journey toward a more sustainable and stronger UAF."

Prakash was selected from a pool of nearly three dozen applicants after a national search. She has a doctorate in earth sciences, a master’s degree in geology and a bachelor’s degree in geology, zoology and botany. She will take over as provost and executive vice chancellor this summer, when longtime provost Susan Henrichs retires.