Rajesh K. Kana, Ph.D., has been named interim dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Graduate School, effective Oct. 1.
Kana currently serves as associate dean for Graduate and Continuing Education in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences and professor in the Department of Psychology. He succeeds David Schneider, Ph.D., who has served as interim dean of the Graduate School and will become chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics in the Heersink School of Medicine on Oct. 1.
“I am grateful to Dr. Schneider for his leadership and service to the Graduate School and for his commitment to graduate education and student success,” said Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D., UAB senior vice president for Academic Affairs and provost. “Dr. Kana brings significant experience in graduate education, program development, research and mentorship to this role. I am confident that his collaborative approach and understanding of UAB will serve the Graduate School and our graduate students well during this transition.”
As associate dean for Graduate and Continuing Education, Kana works with academic departments to develop graduate degrees and programs, including interdisciplinary and online programs and certificates. He also collaborates with graduate program directors on recruitment and program evaluation and supports career and professional development opportunities for graduate students.
Kana has an extensive record as a researcher, educator and mentor. His research focuses on cognitive and affective neuroscience and autism spectrum disorders, including the use of neuroimaging to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying autism. He directs UAB’s Cognition, Brain and Autism Laboratory and has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students throughout his academic career.
Kana joined UAB in 2007 and later spent several years at the University of Alabama before returning to UAB. He was named the inaugural associate dean for Graduate and Continuing Education in the College of Arts and Sciences in 2024.
Kana earned his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and completed postdoctoral training at Carnegie Mellon University. He also was a William Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Fellow and has received honors including the McNulty-Civitan Scientist Award.
“I am grateful to the faculty and staff of the Graduate School for the exceptional work they do every day in support of our graduate students and programs,” Woodruff-Borden said. “Their expertise and dedication are essential to UAB’s academic and research mission, and I look forward to the Graduate School’s continued progress under Dr. Kana’s interim leadership.”