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About Renu
Renu Khator serves as Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston, alongside her roles as President of the University of Houston and Chancellor of the University of Houston System since January 2008. She earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Kanpur University in 1973, an M.A. in Political Science from Purdue University in 1975, and a Ph.D. in Political Science and Public Administration from Purdue University in 1985. A noted scholar in global environmental policy, her academic interests include environmental politics, sustainable development, governance, public administration, and the impacts of globalization on environmental management. Prior to joining UH, Khator built a 22-year career at the University of South Florida, advancing from Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science (1985-1987) and Assistant Professor (1987-1991) to Associate Professor (1991-1995) and Professor of Government and International Affairs (1995-2007). She also held administrative positions there as Director of Graduate Programs (1990-1993), Faculty Assistant to the President (1995-1997), Chair of the Environmental Science and Policy Department (1997-2000), Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (2000-2003), and Provost and Senior Vice President (2003-2007).
Under Khator's leadership, the University of Houston achieved Carnegie Tier One research university status in 2011, established its first medical school in nearly 50 years, tripled the number of National Academy members on faculty, and launched fundraising campaigns exceeding $1 billion, including a new $1 billion initiative in 2024. Key publications include her book Environment, Politics and Development in India (1991); co-edited volumes Public Administration in the Global Village (1994), Bureaucracy-Citizen Interface: Conflict and Consensus (1999), Managing Development in a Global Context (2007), and Globalization, Governance, and Technology: Challenges and Alternatives (2007); and articles such as 'The Evolution of Sustainable Development' (2006) and 'Good Governance: An American Perspective in the Global Context' (2007). She has received major honors including election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2020), induction into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame (2016), Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (2014), Outstanding American by Choice Award (2007), and honorary doctorates from Purdue University (2009) and Swansea University (2014). Khator has chaired the American Council on Education (2015-2016) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (2014-2016), served on the NCAA Board of Governors (2019-2021), and currently sits on the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors.
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