Manoj Mohanan, an accomplished applied microeconomist, has been appointed vice provost for interdisciplinary programs at Duke University, effective July 1, 2026.
Noted Indian American applied microeconomist Manoj Mohanan has been appointed vice provost for interdisciplinary programs at Duke University, a prestigious private research institution located in Durham, North Carolina. His new role will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Mohanan, an alumnus of the University of Mumbai, currently holds the position of Creed C. Black Professor of Public Policy. He has also served as the interim dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy since 2024 and maintains faculty appointments in both economics and global health.
In announcing Mohanan’s appointment, Provost Alec D. Gallimore emphasized his contributions to fostering interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching at Duke. “Manoj has worked to foster interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching across the university, and his deep knowledge of and commitment to Duke’s uniquely collaborative intellectual culture will be great assets as we continue to advance this aspect of our academic mission,” Gallimore stated.
Mohanan joined the Sanford faculty in 2011 and has held several leadership roles, including senior associate dean for faculty and research prior to his appointment as interim dean. During his tenure as interim dean, he successfully led initiatives to implement faculty governance reforms, navigate the university’s strategic realignment and cost reduction processes, and achieve record fundraising, including the highest Annual Fund total in Sanford’s history last year. Additionally, he has been an active member of Duke’s Academic Council and the Executive Committee of the Academic Council (ECAC).
Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Mohanan remarked, “Duke has been my intellectual home for 17 years, and I have benefited enormously from the interdisciplinary environment built by previous generations of Duke faculty and leaders. I am excited to work with colleagues across our schools, institutes, centers, and initiatives to steward and extend interdisciplinary approaches to research, teaching, and public engagement.”
Mohanan’s academic journey reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary work. After earning a medical degree from the University of Mumbai, he transitioned from medicine to academia by enrolling at Harvard University. There, he obtained a master’s degree in public health from the T.H. Chan School of Public Health, followed by a PhD in health policy with a specialization in economics from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
As an applied microeconomist, Mohanan’s research focuses on health and healthcare in developing countries. His work includes measuring provider quality and performance, developing performance-based contracts, and enhancing accountability within health systems. He has led numerous field experiments and policy interventions, with many of his current projects based in India.
Mohanan has received multiple research grants from prestigious organizations, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank. He is currently the principal investigator for a six-year NIH-funded research project titled “Consequences of COVID-19: A longitudinal study of child health and mitigating factors in India.”
In addition to his research, Mohanan serves as a standing member of the NIH study section on Population Dynamics and Health. He has also provided advisory support to the Wellcome Trust (UK) and the World Bank on various health-related topics.
Mohanan will succeed Ed Balleisen, who has held the vice provost position since 2015.
According to The American Bazaar, Mohanan’s appointment marks a significant step in Duke’s ongoing commitment to interdisciplinary education and research.