Suresh Garimella to be 23rd University of Arizona president

The Arizona Board of Regents has appointed Suresh Garimella as the 23rd president of the University of Arizona.

The unanimous board vote follows a comprehensive national search fueled by the work of the U of A Presidential Search Advisory Committee and informed by robust community feedback. Garimella is currently the 27th president of the University of Vermont. Previously, he served as executive vice president for research and partnerships at Purdue University.

“I am honored to be chosen by the board as the next president of the University of Arizona,” Garimella said. “I have long admired the U of A and its stature in the state of Arizona and far beyond. The institution demonstrates the best qualities of a land-grant university with exceptional leadership in research and health sciences, highly acclaimed faculty and staff, and a diverse student population comprised of the best and brightest from around the world. There are tremendous opportunities in front of us, and I look forward to collaborating with U of A students, faculty, staff and alumni to build upon our strengths as an institution and continue to lead in excellence here in Tucson and around the world.”

Garimella and search committee members will speak at a news conference at 2:15 p.m. Friday in the Student Union Memorial Center South Ballroom. The event will be streamed live and posted on the board’s YouTube channel in the following days. Members of the media who wish to attend and ask questions in person or virtually should email [email protected].

Garimella is celebrated in higher education for his innovative leadership, his profound commitment to the land-grant mission, and an exceptional record of putting students first. During his time as president of the University of Vermont, Garimella stabilized tuition and spearheaded a scholarship program similar to the Arizona Promise Program, providing a tuition-free education for lower-income Vermont students.

“Dr. Garimella is student-focused and considers himself first and foremost a faculty member. With a 35-year career in higher education, Suresh is engaging, a great listener and a collaborative leader,” said ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata. “Wildcats are part of our state’s DNA, and Dr. Garimella has shown he is the right leader at the right time to heal and grow Arizona’s land-grant university.”

Garimella is not only a highly cited scholar, researcher and professor of mechanical engineering, but he also helped increase and strengthen the research enterprises of both UVM and Purdue University. He has a strong financial management background, helped build both universities’ online education footprints and worked to diversify funding sources without increasing tuition. Additionally, he is a member of the National Science Board and served with the U.S. Department of State as both a Jefferson Science Fellow and a Senior Fellow in the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas.

Over the last five months, an 18-member search committee met dozens of times to gather feedback from the campus and community and vet all prospects in search of a leader who would match the qualities and experience needed to lead Arizona’s land-grant institution. 

“One of the most exciting parts of this process was seeing the amount of quality leaders from across the country interested in becoming our next president. This broad enthusiasm reinforced my long-held belief that the U of A is indeed a spectacular institution rich in tradition, deep in academics and connected with the community,” said Cindy Rankin, associate professor of physiology and presidential search committee member. “Dr. Garimella stood out to me among the prospects. He is an internationally known scholar with the temperament and experience to unify our campus, and together capitalize on our uniqueness and strength to reach even greater heights. I’m honored to have been part of this truly collaborative effort to select our next president.”

The board will work with Garimella to finalize his employment contract and determine a start date. Garimella succeeds President Robert C. Robbins, who has led the university since 2017. Robbins has driven significant improvement in student retention and success, has overseen an increase in annual research expenditures to $955 million and has spearheaded the most successful fundraising campaign in the history of the U of A at nearly $2.3 billion.

“I join our University of Arizona family in welcoming Dr. Garimella to Tucson,” Robbins said. “His experience as a president at a public university and as an esteemed professor, researcher and published author will serve him well in his new role. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to partnering with Dr. Garimella and assisting him with the transition in any way possible. The U of A will be in good hands for years to come.”

Robbins will remain in his role until Garimella begins, which will likely be later this fall. Garimella will meet with campus and community members Friday and Saturday. 

Garimella received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, his master’s degree from The Ohio State University and his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. His bio and CV, along with statements of support from search committee members, can be found on the ABOR website.  

The Arizona Board of Regents is the 12-member governing body that oversees Arizona’s public universities — Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the U of A. Established in 1885, the U of A is a land-grant and Hispanic-Serving Institution. As a leading Research 1 institution, the U of A ranks in the top 20 among all public universities with $955 million in annual research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation. It benefits the state of Arizona with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually.

Garimella recorded the following video message to the U of A community.