Dr. Kavita Radhakrishnan has been appointed interim dean of the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Nursing, bringing her expertise in digital health and nursing technology to the role.
The University of Texas at Austin has announced the appointment of Dr. Kavita Radhakrishnan as the interim dean of its School of Nursing. Radhakrishnan, an Indian American leader in digital health and nursing technology, has been a member of the UT Austin faculty since 2012.
Her journey to this prestigious position began in Mumbai, India, where she initially trained as an engineer. Radhakrishnan earned her Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai. After moving to the United States, she pursued a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.
A pivotal moment in her career occurred while she was living in Boston. In search of engineering opportunities, she began volunteering at a local hospital. During her time there, she observed the critical role that nurses play, describing their work as “practical, analytical, and problem-solving-driven.” This experience opened her eyes to the disconnect between technological potential and the challenges faced by clinical staff.
Recognizing this gap inspired Radhakrishnan to shift her career path. She realized that to create better tools for nurses, she needed to understand their work from the inside. This led her to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, followed by post-doctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania.
Radhakrishnan’s research has primarily focused on “aging in place,” utilizing telemonitoring and digital gaming to assist patients in managing chronic conditions such as heart failure and hypertension from the comfort of their homes. “I believe technology, when thoughtfully and ethically applied, can help make aging in place a reality for more people,” she stated.
Her innovative work has attracted over $6.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Notably, she has developed culturally tailored digital game interventions aimed at helping South Asian Indian Americans with advance care planning, addressing specific health disparities within her community.
Prior to her new role as interim dean, Radhakrishnan served as the associate dean for research and as the director of the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing. In 2025, she achieved a significant milestone by being inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
As she steps into her new role, Radhakrishnan emphasizes her commitment to fostering a collaborative environment within the School of Nursing. “I am humbled to serve as interim dean,” she remarked. “I look forward to meeting with many of my colleagues, listening to their ideas, and learning from the expertise across this remarkable community.”
Radhakrishnan’s appointment marks a new chapter for the School of Nursing, as she aims to integrate her extensive knowledge of digital health and clinical innovation into the institution’s mission.
According to The American Bazaar, her leadership is expected to enhance the school’s focus on technology’s role in nursing and healthcare.