Dr. Magesh Rajan is a visionary, transformational, and inclusive leader in the education field with over two decades of progressive leadership experience in academics, research, and business.
He is the Vice President of Research and Innovation at Prairie View A&M University, a Texas A&M University System member. In this capacity, he also serves as the Chief Research Officer, institutional official, and Empowered Official. He is a Full Professor of Electrical Engineering. He has been with the Texas A&M University System for over 13 years. Previously, he served in several academic and administrative leadership roles as the Department Head with Dean Responsibilities, Executive Director, and faculty.
Under Dr. Rajan’s leadership, Prairie View A&M University has been elevated to the Carnegie Classified R2 High Research Activity institution designation. Similarly, Under Dr. Rajan’s leadership, Prairie View A&M University has been elevated to the Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) designation by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). Dr. Rajan has established private-public partnerships with industries, corporations, and national labs. He oversees a $100 million research and related enterprise supporting the university’s three campuses, serving 9,000 students and 1,300 faculty and staff academic scholarships. During his career, he has raised over $10 million in private funds and led $35 million in grants. In addition, he has published two textbooks, five book chapters, and over 100 original research publications.
Dr. Rajan provides leadership for several national and statewide boards. He was appointed by the Texas Governor to the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium Board. He serves in the Texas statewide NASA Texas Space Grant Consortium Board, NASA Technology Collaboration Center Board, American Public and Land Grant Universities Diversity Equity and Inclusion Liaison, Center of Excellence for Advanced Multidisciplinary Projects Board, IEEE –Black Hills Section Board, and Del Mar Community College – Engineering Programs Board.
Dr. Rajan is a servant leader who has an active presence in serving the broader community. He represents and aids in the regional economic development organizations of Waller County and the Greater Houston Region, enabling several small businesses in the region. He has served several K-12-centered initiatives, including STEM training, student mentoring, student success, and bridge programs. Recently, he led the initiative under the Biden-Harris Internet for All initiative, through which he obtained $3 million for the regional ISD information technology infrastructure development.
Dr. Rajan has provided leadership for various areas of academic and administrative offices in higher education. He has led research advancement, sponsored programs, research compliance, export controls, graduate and undergraduate research, Title-III programs, innovation, commercialization, entrepreneurship, economic development, marketing, and communications. He has initiated several signature programs to strengthen the university. Selected initiatives include the RITI training institute, RISE & RAPID, and Panther-Invent programs for faculty and students. As an academic leader, he has provided leadership for faculty, staff, and student affairs, building external relationships and fundraising.
He has over ten years of entrepreneurial experience founding and leading three successful technology-based start-up companies and leading R&D, commercialization, and economic development efforts. He oversaw several federally funded interdisciplinary programs through DOD, DARPA, NSF, and NASA.
He led multidisciplinary research initiatives and several educational and broadening participation-sponsored programs, including LSAMP and McNair programs. Dr. Rajan has launched several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-centered initiatives that significantly addressed gaps and improved morale and belonging at diverse institutions (PWI, MSI, HSI, HBCUs). Increased faculty diversity by 50%, supported over 300 underrepresented students, led a staff equity initiative, and practiced an inclusive and shared governance leadership style.
He received his Ph.D. (U. of Wisconsin – Madison) and MS (U. of Tennessee – Knoxville) degrees in Electrical Engineering, MBA (Texas A&M-CC) in Strategic Management, and IEM and MLE (Harvard U.) programs in Higher Education Leadership. He is a Texas-licensed professional engineer (PE), a certified ABET National Engineering Accreditation program evaluator, and a Six Sigma Green Belt license 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).
He has received several awards, including the Texas Corpus Christi Person of the Year award and the Texas A&M-CC Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activities, Research Excellence – the Wall of Fame, Outstanding Researcher, and Excellence in Teaching Innovation awards. He has led the planning, development, and execution of vision and strategic plans, resulting in significant faculty research success, overall program growth, and national rankings. He has served in several federal and state funding agency panels, including the Texas Governor’s Emerging Technology program.