Abebe Named Interim Dean of Auburn University’s Graduate School
Auburn, Ala. — Following an internal search, Ash Abebe, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, has been appointed interim dean of Auburn University’s Graduate School, effective Oct. 15.
A nationally recognized researcher in nonparametric statistics, discriminant analysis and statistical computation, Abebe brings more than two decades of academic leadership and administrative experience to the role. As chair of one of the university’s largest academic departments, Abebe has championed graduate education through initiatives such as launching Alabama’s first doctoral program in statistics and data science, aligning graduate recruitment and evaluation practices with national standards and strengthening several high-impact training programs — including the unit’s NSF-funded GTA preparation model.
“Dr. Abebe’s leadership, experience and commitment to graduate education make him an ideal choice to guide the Graduate School during this transitional period,” Provost Vini Nathan said. “His collaborative approach and data-informed mindset will help strengthen graduate programs across campus and further expand Auburn’s impact.”
As interim dean, Abebe will work closely with faculty and administrative units to support Auburn’s more than 6,200 graduate and professional students in their academic and research pursuits. He will also collaborate with university leadership to strategically advance graduate education in alignment with Auburn’s institutional priorities, focusing on competitive academic programs, rigorous research and creative scholarship and postdoctoral training.
Since becoming chair in 2020, Abebe has led efforts to foster a departmental culture of graduate excellence, including the development of competitive research funding programs and a nationally recognized postdoctoral cohort. Additionally, he has supervised 14 doctoral students and over 35 master’s students, served on more than 90 doctoral committees across disciplines and helped expand a strong postdoctoral program that has become an integral part of the department’s research enterprise.
Under his leadership, Auburn’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics has become a prominent academic unit, generating more than 50,000 student credit hours annually and securing more than $2 million in annual external research support, with extramural funding further growing to nearly $4 million in FY25. The department’s graduate programs in mathematics and statistics are ranked among the nation’s top 100 by U.S. News & World Report and hold the No. 56 spot in the NSF Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, Rankings for FY23, recognitions that reflect the leadership and the expertise Abebe plans to bring to the Graduate School.
“It is a privilege to serve Auburn University during such a pivotal time for graduate education,” Abebe said. “I’m excited to build on the Graduate School’s strong momentum and to further the academic and scholarly work that connects our students and faculty across disciplines. This is both a challenge and an opportunity to build the data scaffolding needed to identify synergies and gaps so Auburn’s graduate education can grow in impact and reach.”
Abebe earned his Bachelor of Science from Addis Ababa University and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. Prior to joining Auburn, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Statistics at Stanford University. He is a recipient of both the Dean’s Outstanding Outreach Award and the Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award.
Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.
This press release was published on the Huntsville Commerce Report with the permission of Auburn University.
