Internationally recognized as an accomplished researcher and transformative higher education leader, Tripathi was appointed the 15th president of the University at Buffalo in 2011. He was one of the principal creators of the UB 2020 long-range academic plan, and has led the university to achieve significant growth in research and scholarly activity, enhanced student quality and diversity, and an expanded international presence. Building on this strong foundation, Tripathi’s vision for UB’s future focuses on moving the university into the highest ranks of the nation’s leading research universities through expanding its reach and impact locally as well as globally. Tripathi serves on the College Football Playoff Board of Managers and has served as chair of the Mid-American Conference Council of Presidents as well as on the boards of the NCAA Division I and NCAA Board of Governors. In addition, he has served on the boards of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and as a member of the Reimagine NY Commission. Among his numerous community leadership roles, Tripathi was appointed the inaugural co-chair of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council in 2011, a position he held until 2017. The first international-born president in UB’s history, Tripathi received his doctorate in computer science from the University of Toronto.

We are proud to count Dr. Venu Govindaraju among the University at Buffalo's most distinguished alumni. A true UB success story, Dr. Govindaraju came to Buffalo as a graduate student — drawn, as he has recalled, by little more than the promise of a great opportunity and the knowledge that Niagara Falls was nearby and went on to become one of the most consequential figures in the history of artificial intelligence.

A pioneering researcher in AI and machine learning, Dr. Govindaraju transformed the global postal industry by developing the world's first autonomous system capable of deciphering handwritten addresses, ultimately enabling the automated processing of billions of pieces of mail annually and saving postal services worldwide billions of dollars. That foundational work spawned advances across fields ranging from cybersecurity and digital libraries to biometrics and multilingual document analysis.

Today, Dr. Govindaraju serves as UB's Senior Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development and SUNY Distinguished Professor. He leads the NSF-funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education — a $20 million initiative developing AI tools to support early identification of children with speech, language, and learning challenges. He also plays a central leadership role in Empire AI, New York State's landmark AI computing consortium headquartered on UB's North Campus.

Recognized in the United States Congressional Record, honored as Person of the Year by the Council of Heritage and Arts of India, and the recipient of the UB President's Medal, Dr. Govindaraju exemplifies what it means to use science in service of the public good — and what is possible when a UB Bull puts their mind to changing the world.

Nojin Kwak, Ph.D., joined the University at Buffalo in August 2021 as Vice Provost for International Education and Professor in the Department of Communication. As UB’s senior international officer, he leads the university’s central international research and academic programs and services, advancing UB’s global engagement strategy. He oversees international student and scholar services, study abroad and exchange programs, overseas academic partnerships—including the UB–SIM campus in Singapore—and immigration services for foreign-national employees and visiting scholars. Dr. Kwak works closely with campus leadership and global partners to strengthen international collaboration, expand global research, and internationalize the curriculum. A scholar of political communication, his research examines how social media and digital platforms influence civic and political engagement. His work has appeared in leading journals and has received numerous top paper awards. Prior to UB, he served as professor and chair of the Department of Communication and Media and director of the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan.

Since being named dean of the University at Buffalo School of Management in August 2022, Iyer has championed key initiatives for the school, including the business of climate change; business analytics; the social impact of management; and innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership. A highly accomplished scholar in operations and supply chain management, Iyer has published five books and more than 50 journal articles and book chapters. His work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Coast Guard, Indiana Department of Transportation and others. Iyer has served as president of the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society of INFORMS and as an editor or editorial board member for numerous journals. Iyer was an American Council of Education Fellow, a visiting professor at the Wharton School and MIT Operations Research Center, and a Purdue University Faculty Scholar. In industry, he has consulted and provided executive education for such companies as General Electric, Daymon Associates, Dade Behring, Larsen & Toubro, Quint Wellington and Chromcraft Revington.

Jeff Grabill stepped into the role of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest academic unit at UB, on Aug. 1, 2025. Prior to coming to UB, Grabill served as deputy vice chancellor for student education at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Before his time at Leeds, Grabill was at Michigan State University for nearly 20 years, serving as a professor and former chair of the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures, and as associate provost for teaching, learning and technology. A recognized leader in higher education, Grabill brings a strong track record of academic innovation, institutional leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration.