Welcome to a New Academic Year

We are just 3 weeks away from the start of another academic year, and all signs point to an entering class even larger than last year’s, which was larger than the previous year. We are grateful to the IU Board of Trustees for their recent approval of construction of additional living spaces for our students. Do mark your calendars and join us for the New Student Induction Ceremony at 2 pm on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the Indiana Convention Center.

On the faculty front, and as of this week, inclusive of IU School of Medicine, we are excited to welcome 21 new tenure-track faculty and 106 on the non-tenure track, and to congratulate 146 faculty who were recently promoted and/or tenured.

The summer did not stop our faculty from continuing their work doing research, teaching, mentoring, and winning honorific awards.

Our kudos to Professor Randall Roper who recently received a $2.69 million award from the National Institutes of Health to advance his work on Down syndrome.

The National Science Foundation recently announced 12 new Regional Innovation Engines across 20 states. Among these, an Indiana University-led coalition secured the prestigious NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana designation. The team leading this massive hub includes Dr. Melissa Kacena, a renowned bone research expert and director of the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health in the IU School of Medicine; Jim Lancaster, a former executive at Zimmer Biomet; Amrou Awaysheh, from the Kelley School of Business at IU Indianapolis; and Jill Fehrenbacher, from the IU School of Medicine.

The project that connects engineers, scientists, and clinical data to work on building the world’s largest integrated musculoskeletal dataset will enable the acceleration of research, commercialization, and specialized workforce training to build a global powerhouse for musculoskeletal health in our state. On the economic front, the initiative aims to launch startups, create high-quality jobs, and train workers in regional biotech manufacturing and advanced care. Hearty congratulations to all who worked on this award.

Earlier this year we shared the exciting news that Professors Edward Curtis and Gerard Magliocca are now the first IU Indianapolis faculty members to receive Guggenheim Fellowships for their research. Mark your calendars for Sept 29, 2026 for TED-style conversations with Professors Curtis and Magliocca from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at the Madam Walker Theater.

Our staff also continued their important work throughout the summer. I am excited to highlight two staff members who have prioritized student employee and staff development. Join me in congratulating Devina Jani, Director of Career Services for the School of Social Work, who received the IU Indianapolis Student Employee Supervisor of the Year. Also deserving our applause is Angela DeCamp, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, who received Staff Council Member of the Year Award and was also recently elected president of the Indianapolis Staff Council.

Finally, mark your calendars for a fun-filled trivia event on August 31 from 1:30 to 2:30 pm in the Campus Center Room 450. The event will test your knowledge of American history and celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary in our own IU Indianapolis way! I hope to see teams formed by department or school – or perhaps by the street where you live, shared hobbies, or talents. It’s all about celebrating while educating ourselves on our nation’s history.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor