Prabhudev Konana Directory Page

Prabhudev Konana became Dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business on January 2, 2021. In this role, he leads Maryland Smith in its mission to promote research excellence, sustainable innovative programs, and an inclusive learning environment that fosters intellectual discovery, and equip current and future leaders to assess complex problems and deliver innovative solutions.

Konana previously served as Associate Dean of Instructional Innovation at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. The school recognized him for championing innovative specialty programs, technology-enabled instruction, and experiential learning, and for promoting strategic partnerships with businesses to support transformative research and learning experiences for students. He successfully led the transition of the entire business school faculty to online hybrid and synchronous teaching after the onset of Covid-19 pandemic. 

Konana’s research analyzes the value of social networks and sentiments embedded within text, and business value of IT. His work includes “Competition among Virtual Communities and User Valuation,” which received a Best Paper Award from Information Systems Research. His teaching accomplishments are recognized in a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for exemplifying the role of teacher-scholars through research and education. He also has received the University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and was inducted into UT’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers, among 32 other honors and awards.

Konana has described business education as rapidly changing in current social, political, technological, and market trends. The vision is reflected in his work as Chair of UT’s Department of Information, Risks, and Operations Management. He founded what became a highly ranked MS in Business Analytics program in partnership with businesses. He also is credited with developing a new M.S. program in information technology and management around the Internet of Things, Blockchain, and analytics, and helping launch an M.S. program in health care transformation as a joint venture between UT’s business and medical schools. His tenure as chair more broadly drew recognition for improving teaching standards in various programs, incentivizing faculty to offer specialized electives and recruiting high-energy and passionate staff. 

Konana holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from the University of Mysore in India, a Master of Business Administration degree, and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona, Tucson.