A visionary leader and accomplished scholar, Dr. Vistasp M. Karbhari took office in June 2013 as the eighth president of The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). He is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Department of Civil Engineering. 

As president, he is committed to advancing UTA’s national and international profile while strengthening excellence in research and teaching and ensuring the success of UTA’s students in campus-based and online degree programs in Texas and around the world. In the 2017-18 academic year, UTA served almost 60,000 students through these programs. Under his leadership, UTA achieved Carnegie R-1 status, was named a Hispanic Serving University, and is ranked as the top educational institution in Texas for veterans and adult learners, in addition to having nationally ranked programs in each of UTA’s Schools and Colleges. UTA’s research enterprise continues to grow significantly and is driven by the Strategic Plan 2020 (https://www.uta.edu/strategicplan/), focused on enabling a sustainable megacity and based on four theme areas: Health and the Human Condition, Sustainable Urban Communities, Global Environmental Impact, and Data Driven Discovery. 

Prior to joining UTA, President Karbhari served at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (2008-2013), the University of California San Diego (1995-2008) and the University of Delaware (1991-1995). 

A prolific researcher, President Karbhari is an expert in the processing and mechanics of composites, durability of materials, infrastructure rehabilitation, and multi-threat mitigation and has authored or co-authored more than 460 papers in journals and conference proceedings and edited or co-edited six books. He holds one patent and has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on more than $37 million in research projects. 

He is a fellow of several preeminent research organizations, including the National Academy of Inventors, the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASM International, the International Institute for Fiber-reinforced Polymers in Construction, the International Society for Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure, and the ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute. 

President Karbhari earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree with a specialization in structures, both from the University of Poona in India, and a Ph.D. with a dissertation in composite materials from the University of Delaware. During his more than 25 years in higher education, he has received numerous awards for research, teaching, and innovation.