Dr. Kuldeep Rawat is the Thorpe Endowed Professor and Dean of School of Science, Aviation, Health and Technology at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Dr. Rawat holds an MS in Computer Science, MS in Computer Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Center for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL). He has received professional certifications in Data Analyst from IBM, Applied Data Science from MIT, Data Science in Healthcare from Darthmouth, and Deep Learning from Carnegie Melon University.

Dr. Rawat received the 2023 Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service, conferred by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Rawat is also one of the 2025 Chancellor Legacy Award Honorees. He has led multiple initiatives that serve the university, the surrounding community and the state. These include his work on the NASA Aerospace Academy Program, FAA Aviation Workforce Development, Connecting Minority Communities Broadband, COVID-19 Mitigation, and on a Mobile STEM Lab program, reaching K-12 students from 21 county school districts in some of North Carolina’s most economically disadvantaged, underserved and rural regions.

His areas of research interest are in data science, machine learning, PC-based instrumentation, civilian applications of unmanned aerial systems, AI/ML in Higher Education, workforce development, and innovative uses of educational technologies.