Dr. Jayanth R. Banavar served as dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences from 2011 until his departure in 2017 to become provost and senior vice president at the University of Oregon. Prior to his appointment in 2011, Dr. Banavar served as Distinguished Professor and George A. and Margaret M. Dowsnbrough Department Head of Physics at Pennsylvania State University. A fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he has numerous publications in refereed journals, book chapters, a book he co-edited, and three patents.
Elizabeth Stevinson Iribe and the friends and colleagues of Dr. Banavar created the Jayanth R. Banavar Endowed Graduate Award for Excellence in Physics Research to honor his years of service to the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. This endowment will support merit-based awards for outstanding graduate students in the Department of Physics. Preference will go to students conducting interdisciplinary research on natural phenomena, Dr. Banavar's own research area.