UT Austin Names Dr. Kavita Radhakrishnan Interim Nursing Dean After Trailblazing Career

Dr Kavita Radhakrishnan has been named interim dean of the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Nursing. Her appointment follows years of leadership in nursing research and gerontology. She aims to strengthen collaboration across the school during her tenure. Radhakrishnan began her academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai. She later earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her career path shifted after volunteering in a Boston hospital, where she observed nurses at work.

She went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since 2012, she has been a faculty member at UT Austin, specialising in gerontological nursing and digital health interventions. Her research focuses on 'aging in place,' using telemonitoring and digital gaming to support older adults. This work has secured over $6.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. One key project involved designing culturally tailored digital games for South Asian Indian Americans to aid advance care planning. Before becoming interim dean, she served as associate dean for research and director of the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing. In 2025, she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.

As interim dean, Radhakrishnan brings expertise in nursing science, gerontology, and digital health innovation. Her leadership is expected to enhance research and education within the nursing school. The role builds on her long-standing contributions to both academia and patient care.