Vice President for Research & Innovation

Magesh T. Rajan

Ph.D., PE., MBA

Prairie View A&M University,
Texas A&M University System

BIOGRAPHY

Rajan is a visionary, strategic and inclusive higher-education leader with more than 20 years of leadership experience uniquely blended in academics, research, and business entrepreneurship. Dr. Rajan earned a bachelor’s in electrical and electronics engineering with the Highest Honors from the University of Madras at age 19, besting several thousand engineers in the State.  A remarkable achievement despite hailing from a very humble background and being First Generation college student.

Rajan furthered his education in the U.S.A. at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.  He earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, was inducted to Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu honor societies and was recognized with the highest honors: the Chancellor’s Citation Award for Professional Promise, for publishing his breakthrough research in cold plasma to an international audience. In addition, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the largest international technical society, recognized him with the Graduate Fellow Award.

At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Rajan achieved his Ph.D. and earned several awards and recognitions, including the Best Paper award, Vilas Fellowship, Best Teaching Assistant, Best Business plan awards, and being elected Student Vice President.

Rajan also holds an MBA degree in Strategic Management (TAMU-CC) and has completed Financial Leadership training at Harvard Business School and extensive leadership training at Harvard at the Graduate School of Education Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE).

Leader

Rajan leads the Research and Innovation enterprise as the Vice President at the Texas A&M University System’s Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the second oldest public, comprehensive, land-grant, high research activity, doctoral granting, historically black college/university (HBCU) in Texas. PVAMU competes at NCAA Division 1 level, generates over 5,300 jobs annually, has a $766 Million per year economic impact on the State of Texas, and a projected $3.9 Billion long-term impact.

Dr. Rajan provides vision and strategic leadership for PVAMU’s three campuses, with more than 9,000 students and 1,300 faculty and staff. The university’s interdisciplinary research, innovation, and scholarship endeavors result in broader societal and economic development activities. Its overall research fiscal portfolio of $100 million encompasses 36 academic programs in eight colleges/schools: Colleges of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, Juvenile Justice, and Nursing and the School of Architecture. They have established strong external engagements and strategic partnerships, which have raised over $7M in support of faculty and students.

As the Vice President, Dr. Rajan serves as the Chief Research Officer, Institutional Official, and Empowered Official, and provides leadership and oversight for several Research and Innovation offices, including research centers and institutes, and the Office of Research Advancement, Office of Sponsored Programs, Office of Research Compliance/Export Controls, Office of Undergraduate Research, Office of Title-III Programs, Office of Innovation, Commercialization, Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, and the Office of Research Marketing and Communications.

Previously Dr. Rajan has provided successful academic leadership as department head, with dean’s fundraising responsibilities, and management for all academic affairs, budgetary and faculty/staff administration. His successful leadership experience includes serving as the Executive Director for Plasma Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and over ten years of entrepreneurial leadership experience in the founding and leading of three successful technology-based start-up companies.

Educator

As a passionate educator, Dr. Rajan is committed to transforming lives through education. In his higher-education career, Dr. Rajan has taught and mentored thousands of students, especially first-generation college students and students of color. He led several educational and broadening participation programs. This includes the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program and McNair programs.

Dr. Rajan is a tenured Full Professor of Electrical Engineering and has been with the Texas A&M University System for over a decade. He began his higher education career as an assistant professor, rose through the ranks of to full Professor, and held the Hoffert Endowed Chair Professor while department head/dean. Rajan has received several awards as an educator and engineer, including the Excellence in Teaching Innovation Award, Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activities, Research Excellence, The Wall of Fame, Outstanding researcher, and Excellence in Teaching Innovation awards from the TAMU-CC. 

As an engineer by training, Rajan has managed several externally sponsored interdisciplinary research projects through the Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and other federal agencies and industries, and led interdisciplinary research initiatives. Dr. Rajan has published two textbooks, five book chapters, and over 100 original research articles/publications. Dr. Rajan is a licensed professional engineer (PE) in the State of Texas, a certified Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) program evaluator, and a Six Sigma Green Belt holder. He is a Life Member of the Laser Institute of America (LIA) and the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), and a senior member of IEEE and the Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS).

Achiever

As a transformative leader, Dr. Rajan has achieved transformational accomplishments in higher-education institutions benefiting its faculty, staff, and students. As Vice President, he has achieved significant growth in the scholarly research enterprise. The funding proposals and amounts requested have more than doubled. The total external funding more than tripled in growth by 336% in 3 years. Restricted research funding more than doubled with a 240% growth in 3 years. And the research expenditures have nearly tripled in 3 years.  

At PVAMU, he created five new offices, developed numerous funding programs for faculty and students, and supported several faculty and student inventors and entrepreneurs. As department head/dean at TAMU-CC, Rajan created several programs, including a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, three minor degree programs in Electrical, Electronics, and Systems engineering. Under his leadership, the MS Electrical Engineering program achieved 350% growth in enrollment and achieved Top 24th national ranking. Dr. Rajan has also established a state-of-the-art research center and achieved international recognition for research, which was recognized by state officials.

Developer

Dr. Rajan is a servant leader, passionate about human development and nurturing individuals to reach their full potential. He has served at diverse higher education institutions with varied student diversity. He has extensive service in Minority and Minority Serving Institutions (MI/MSI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), Historically Black University (HBCU), and Predominantly White Institution (PWI).

In doing so, Rajan has increased faculty diversity by 50%, mentored and supported over 300+ underrepresented students; actively mentored for diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff to demonstrate his commitment to diversity and inclusion; delivered internal funding support for over 160 faculty researchers; and created a research training institute that impacted 450+ faculty. Also, he has recruited faculty with 100% search success; supervised faculty and achieved 100% P&T success; provided funding support for 153 undergraduate research scholars and 115 graduate students; achieved 98% student placement record; and significantly invested in staff development through monthly training series, mentoring, and nurturing a progressive growth mindset.

Entrepreneur

With a decade of entrepreneurial experience, Rajan has launched and led three successful technology-based start-up companies and exercised his expertise in research & technology development-based commercialization through the university, which supported regional entrepreneurial and economic development. Rajan has served in leadership roles in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs both as an award recipient and panel reviewer.  

Dr. Rajan is the grand winner of the Texas Business Competition awarded by the Mayor of Corpus Christi and Grand-Statewide Winner of the Wisconsin Governor Business Competition awarded by Governor Jim Doyle. Rajan has been honored with several awards for his entrepreneurial efforts, including the Corpus Christi, Texas Mayor’s Person of the Year award and the Corpus Christi’s 40 Under 40 Awards. 

He has also served on several federal- and state-level funding agency panels, including the Texas Governor’s Emerging Technology program. Dr. Rajan is committed to making a broader economic impact in the regions where he lives. Current economic development projects Rajan is championing include:

Pursuing the development of a 50-acre, $100 Million innovation corridor development of an Innovation Commercialization Center for Entrepreneurs heading the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities — APLU 2020-2021 Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) cohort for a prestigious national recognition and standing, and leading an Economic Development Advisory Board with leaders from government, industry, and investors in the Greater Houston area.

Revolutionary

As a visionary, Dr. Rajan has taken several bold concepts, materialized the visions, and launched them successfully.  He consistently exceeds far-sighted goals with significant success and overall growth.  The impact of his projects has seen national rankings for the institution and its faculty, staff, and students. Rajan has created and launched several successful signature programs that strengthened the institution’s research and innovation enterprises. Some initiatives include the Research & Innovation Training Institute (RITI), Faculty-Research & Innovation for Scholarly Excellence (Faculty-RISE); Faculty-RISE: Undergraduate Research; Faculty-RISE: Graduate Research; RAPID: Rapid Response Funding Program; ICEED: Innovation-Commercialization-Entrepreneurship-Economic Development, etc.

Entrepreneurship & Industry Experience

Engineering Education Enterprises, Inc.

Honors & Awards

• Best Paper Award, SHPE – Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Elected Vice President, IEEE – Madison WI Chapter
• IEEE Graduate Fellowship Award, Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society
• University of Tennessee
  1. Chancellor Citation Award for Professional Promise
  2. Tau Beta Pi Inducted, Engineering Honor Society
  3. Eta Kappa Nu Inducted, Electrical Engineering Honor Society
• University Topper (Gold Medalist, Ranked 2nd/7800 Students), University of Madras
• Best Senior Design Award, University of Madras

Memberships & Affiliations

Technical

• NPSS – Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society
• APS – American Physical Society
• LIA – Laser Institute of America
• SPIE – Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
• OSA – Optical Society of America
• IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• ASEE – American Society of Engineering Education
• ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Sigma Xi – Scientific Research Society

International

• CFR – Council on Foreign Relations
• TIEC – Texas International Education Consortium

Accreditation

• HLC – Higher Learning Commission
• SACSCOC – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges