UVM Board of Trustees confirms new president

From:    David A. Daigle, Chair of the Board of Trustees

RE:        Dr. Suresh Garimella

It is my great pleasure to share the news that Dr. Suresh Garimella will become UVM’s 27th president, effective July 1, 2019.

Following a comprehensive, nationwide search that attracted 90 applicants, Dr. Garimella clearly emerged as the most capable candidate for this position. We are confident that we have selected an exceptional individual who will inspire our University to reach even greater levels of excellence.

As you know, Dr. Garimella is currently Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships and the Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. His previous administrative experience at Purdue includes appointments as the Chief Global Affairs Officer and as the Associate Vice President for Engagement. In 2010, the U.S. Department of State appointed him as a Jefferson Science Fellow to serve as a Science Advisor in the International Energy Office. He also served for six years as a Senior Fellow in the State Department’s Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas, and as the State Department delegate to the International Energy Agency. Dr. Garimella has a long list of honors and awards, including his 2018 appointment as a member of the National Science Board. He is co-author of over 500 publications and 13 patents. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, his M.S. from The Ohio State University and his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

It is clear that Dr. Garimella possesses the intellect, vision, leadership skills and academic credentials to be a highly successful president at UVM. He is a passionate educator, a highly accomplished researcher, an effective relationship builder and a gifted administrative leader. He has a well demonstrated ability to attract external investment and support, and he has a deep and abiding passion for the land-grant mission. Importantly, Dr. Garimella is sharply focused on the quality of the student educational experience as well as student success during and after college.

I also want to pay tribute to President Tom Sullivan, who has led UVM with a passion for students and higher education, with reasoned and thoughtful decision-making, and with unwavering integrity. Our University is unequivocally stronger as a result of his efforts and accomplishments. From the resounding success of our ambitious capital campaign, to the progress achieved on our major academic initiatives, to the positive transformation of our physical campus, we have made tremendous and lasting progress in advancing UVM’s mission under President Sullivan’s leadership.

Once again, I want to thank the hundreds of individuals who participated in the presidential search process for their time and thoughtful input. To the members of the largest, most inclusive, most diverse search committee ever assembled; to the hundreds of you who helped shape the leadership profile that guided our search; to the faculty panel and the dozens of academic and administrative leaders who interviewed and vetted candidates during the confidential stage of the search; to the dozens who participated in candidate interviews during Dr. Garimella’s public campus visit; and to the hundreds who attended the open forum and provided feedback, we are sincerely grateful for your engagement in this important process.

We are all very much looking forward to working with Dr. Garimella to continue advancing our University. Please mark your calendars for a reception to welcome Dr. Garimella that has been scheduled for Friday, March 8. A separate campus communication with additional information will be distributed in the coming days.

For additional information about Dr. Garimella’s outstanding background and professional accomplishments, please visit the Presidential Search website or Dr. Garimella's current website at Purdue University. In addition, attached is the news release that will be distributed today announcing the outcome of our presidential search process.