Subramanian interim dean of SDSU’s College of Natural Sciences

Sen Subramanian, associate dean for research in South Dakota State University’s College of Natural Sciences, is serving as interim dean of the college. 

Subramanian took on the post June 22, following the retirement of Dean Emerita Charlene Wolf-Hall at the end of the last academic year. The search for a permanent dean for the position continues. 

“It’s a privilege to lead this amazing student-focused and creative team as interim dean of the College of Natural Sciences. As a college, we will continue and initiate measures to advance SDSU’s progress toward premiership. I thank Dean Emerita Charlene Wolf-Hall for being a great mentor and building a strong foundation from which to launch,” Subramanian said. 

Subramanian earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Annamalai University and his master’s in biotechnology from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, both in India. He earned his doctorate in biology from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His post-doctoral training involved studying soybean-microbe interactions at the Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis. 

Subramanian came to SDSU in 2009 and currently serves as a professor in the Department of Biology and Microbiology and the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science. 

His laboratory’s major area of interest is root-microbe interactions in legumes such as soybeans with the long-term goal of improving farm profits and reducing environmental damage by alleviating the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and other agricultural inputs. His research program is supported by research grant awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, National Science Foundation, and South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, among other agencies. 

Subramanian has published 60 peer-reviewed scholarly articles and trained 22 graduate students and 26 undergraduate research students. He has been recognized with invited visiting professorships, the F. O. Butler Award for Excellence in Research, placement on the Fulbright specialist roster, and the National Science Foundation CAREER award. 


“I am delighted that Dr. Subramanian has accepted this opportunity to lead the College of Natural Sciences as interim dean,” SDSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dennis Hedge said. “Sen has a proven track record of leadership on the SDSU campus, and I am confident that he will keep the college advancing in alignment with its strategic priorities and those of our university until the next dean is named.”