Dr. Vedula is well recognized globally for his contributions to engineering education, research, administration and outreach. He is internationally recognized for his research in processing and properties of materials for high temperature applications, with particular emphasis on powder processing and intermetallic compounds and environmental effects.

As dean of engineering at University of Massachusetts, he has been recognized for his leadership in building unique partnerships with business, K-12, state agencies and other educational institutions. He was responsible for raising several millions of dollars for scholarships, endowments and facilities from private sources and for overseeing a significant improvement in the quality of students and faculty as well research and teaching facilities at the Francis College of Engineering. He is Founder and Executive Chair (until recently) of “Massachusetts STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) Collaborative” aimed at increasing the number of youth interested in science and engineering careers in MA. He is currently one of the leaders of the ASEE initiative for Indo-US Collaboration in Engineering Education.

Dr. Vedula has B.Tech (IIT Bombay, India, 1967), M.S. (Drexel University, 1969) and Ph.D. (Michigan Tech University, 1980) degrees in Materials/Metallurgical Engineering. He has 25 years academic teaching and research experience in materials science and engineering, including 10 years as a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University, 5 years as chair of the materials science and engineering department at Iowa State University and 8 years as dean of an engineering college at UMass Lowell. In addition he has spent 2 years managing federal research and educational programs.