DURHAM, N.C. – Prasad Kasibhatla, associate professor of environmental chemistry, has been appointed the Nicholas School’s first Associate Dean for International Programs. Kasibhatla’s appointment to the newly created post is effective immediately.

“As associate dean, Prasad will take the lead in working with our faculty, staff, alumni and administration to create expanded opportunities abroad for Nicholas School students, as part of a campus-wide initiative to increase Duke’s international presence,” said Dean Bill Chameides.

Initial efforts will focus on enhancing the placement of Nicholas School students in internships, research projects and jobs abroad, and in launching an international version of the Duke Environmental Leadership (DEL) program. DEL offers an online Master of Environmental Management 91, continuing and executive education courses, and community outreach programs designed for professionals already in the workforce.

Administrators are considering a number of locales for the initial launch of the international program; India looks to be a prime option, said Chameides, who earlier this year visited with a number of leading environmental programs at Indian universities with Kasibhatla

“Prasad’s knowledge of international environmental issues, and his commitment to maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards in all that he does will serve the Nicholas School well as we move forward to meet new challenges and pursue new opportunities in the coming years,” Chameides said.

A Nicholas School faculty member since 1997, Kasibhatla is widely cited for his work to develop a fundamental and quantitative understanding of the factors that determine the chemical composition of the atmosphere. He is the author or co-author of more than 50 peer-reviewed papers, has served as co-convener or organizer of numerous international scientific conferences, and was a member of the 2002 National Academy of Sciences Committee in Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations. Much of his scholarship has focused on delineating natural and anthropogenic impacts on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and exploring the potential for these impacts to affect natural ecosystems worldwide.

Prior to joining Duke’s faculty in 1997, Kasibhatla was a research scientist at MCNC Environmental Programs and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a visiting scientist at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. He received a PhD and Master of Science 91 from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Bombay.