About Provost Prabu David
Prabu David
Prabu David is Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rochester Institute of Technology. As provost, he serves as the chief academic officer overseeing 11 colleges and 5 international campuses. Among other responsibilities, his office is responsible for academic affairs, faculty affairs, academic support programs, curriculum development and assessment, student retention and success initiatives, faculty and staff recruitment and retention.
His top leadership priority is to ensure the success of RIT students, staff through a shared sense of community. In addition, he is focused on the responsible integration of AI in teaching, research and co-curricular experiences. Other initiatives include strategic overseas partnerships, strengthening the university’s identity as a destination for creative technologists, and expanding the health sciences portfolio.
His current research focuses on human-centered AI and its interaction with ethics and trust. His recent publications examine facial recognition technology, algorithmic bias, AI governance, and privacy.
Previously, he was dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University, where he expanded their research portfolio, implemented curriculum innovations, improved faculty and student success, increased diversity, and led the college to a top-10 international ranking in QS and top-3 position in Shanghai ranking.
His prior experiences include serving as associate dean of the Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University and as Director of Undergraduate Studies at the School of Communication at Ohio State University.
He earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Loyola College in Chennai, India, a master's degree in journalism from Ohio University and Ph.D. in Mass Communication from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
If you’d like to invite the provost to attend or speak at your event, please contact Office of the Provost Communications Manager Stefania L. Palozzi, at slpdfp@rit.edu.