Michael Purugganan: Ex-UP student journalist appointed NYU dean

A JOURNEY IN SCIENCE

After earning his undergraduate degree in chemistry in 1985, Michael Purugganan moved to New York to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia University.

He later shifted to botany for his Ph.D. at the University of Georgia, believing that studying plants would be more practical if he eventually returned to the Philippines.

In 1993, Purugganan began postdoctoral research at the University of California San Diego, where he focused on plant evolution and studied the Philippines’ most important food staple: rice.

“Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world,” said the academic in his 2012 interview with The FilAm magazine.

“It provides a third to half the calories consumed in the world. It’s grown primarily for food.

"There’s a huge international interest in it. For a long time, I’ve been interested in studying major crops in the world and how they originate, how did they evolve.”

After completing his research in 1995, Purugganan considered returning to the Philippines.

However, with no research positions available at the University of the Philippines at the time, he decided to remain at UC San Diego and teach genetics.

A decade later, Purugganan moved to New York University to join its newly established Center for Genomics and Systems Biology.

He quickly rose through the ranks and was eventually appointed Dean of Science in 2012.

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AN EFFECTIVE DEAN

Purugganan served as Dean of Science for seven years, overseeing a period of remarkable academic growth for NYU.

Under his leadership, the university’s global standing significantly improved.

In the Times Higher Education rankings, NYU climbed from 72nd place in 2014 to 41st in 2019 for physical sciences, while its life sciences ranking rose from 54th in 2015 to 28th in 2019.

The Filipino-American scientist also spearheaded the renovation of approximately 160,000 square feet of research space across NYU’s downtown Manhattan campus.

The massive project introduced new facilities for the Department of Physics, along with cutting-edge computational chemistry and nanoscience laboratories for the Department of Chemistry.

His impact extended beyond the physical sciences.

Purugganan also transformed NYU’s behavioral research infrastructure, overseeing extensive upgrades for neural science and psychology that resulted in a new computational neuroscience suite, dedicated Social Psychology spaces, and the state-of-the-art Center for Brain Imaging.

Looking toward the future, he championed the creation of several pioneering research hubs, including the Center for Quantum Phenomena, the Laboratory of Molecular Nanoscience, the NYU Chemical Biology Initiative, and the NYU-Max Planck Center for Language, Music and Emotion.

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A BIGGER ROLE

In 2025, the NYU board elevated Purugganan to interim dean, entrusting him with the leadership of the university’s Faculty of Arts & Science—the academic core of NYU that includes its undergraduate college, the Graduate School of Arts & Science (GSAS), and more than 1,000 faculty members—during one of the most turbulent periods in modern higher education.

His appointment quickly became a trial by fire as the newly inaugurated Trump administration launched an aggressive campaign against major American universities.

Beyond rhetoric, the White House moved to freeze and cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research grants in an effort to dismantle campus diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Nearby Columbia University faced a devastating $400-million funding freeze, while Harvard University was forced into federal court to fight sweeping budget cuts.

Combined with immigration crackdowns that restricted international student visas, major research universities suddenly found themselves facing operational instability and growing financial uncertainty.

Navigating this political minefield became one of Purugganan’s defining leadership tests. Forged by his experiences confronting censorship and political pressure during the Marcos era, the veteran academic proved capable of shielding NYU’s academic core from external turbulence.

During his interim term, Purugganan successfully delivered a balanced operating budget for fiscal year 2027 after securing $25 million in independent fundraising, while maintaining stability within the university community.

Now, in 2026, the NYU board has formally entrusted him with the role on a permanent basis.

“With Michael at the helm, Arts & Science is poised to reach new heights, driven by a commitment to academic rigor and discovery.

"We have watched Michael succeed in strengthening this community during exceptionally challenging times, fostering an environment grounded in a shared scholarly mission and shared humanity.

"As we look to the future, we have every confidence he has the leadership, temperament, and values to inspire the collective trust of his colleagues and students,” said NYU President Linda G. Mills and Provost Georgina Dopico in a statement.

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