Greek Scientist Thomas Katsouleas Installed as President of the University of Connecticut

Greek scientist Dr. Thomas C. Katsouleas was officially installed recently as the new President of the University of Connecticut at a ceremony attended by Archbishop Elpidophoros on Friday.

Dr. Katsouleas, a leading plasma scientist and an engineer with deep academic roots in teaching and research, became the 16th President of the University upon his investiture.

He began his term as president of the well-regarded university after previously serving as executive vice president and provost at the University of Virginia (UVA).

At UVA, Dr. Katsouleas was responsible for overseeing eleven different schools of the University, as well as the University Library and Art museum, three residential colleges, and a number of University centers.

He also was in charge of all UVA public service activities and outreach programs and all foreign study programs, as well as the advancement of teaching, research and public service at the University.

Dr. Thomas C. Katsouleas

He has been an advocate for cross-disciplinary collaboration and has played an integral role in advancing several pan-University institutes and initiatives, including the Brain Institute; Institute for the Dynamics of Health Development; Cyber Innovation and Society and the Initiative for the Study of Equity Through Community Engaged Scholarship.

He also was fundamental in the founding of the Data Science Institute, which will soon become UVA’s twelfth school, an effort made possible in part by the largest gift in UVA’s 200-year history.

“I am proud of what has been accomplished at UVA through the efforts of so many wonderful people here,” Dr. Katsouleas stated.

“Particularly, I am excited about UVA’s momentum toward doubling research and scholarship, the advances in the hiring of diverse faculty and doctoral students, and initiatives to advance the environment and culture. And I look forward to seeing the continued rise of UVA under strong new leadership,” he noted.

Prior to joining UVA, Katsouleas served as the dean of the engineering school at Duke University for seven years. He also spent fourteen years advancing through the faculty and administrative ranks at the University of Southern California’s School of Engineering.

The Greek-American academic began his teaching career at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he was an assistant/associate research engineer and adjunct assistant/associate professor of physics.

Katsouleas earned his bachelor’s degree in physics, and his Ph.D. in the same discipline, from UCLA.