Dr. Sushma S. Kulkarni

Dr. Sushma S. Kulkarni is a distinguished academician, researcher, and institutional leader with 38 years of experience dedicated to teaching, engineering pedagogy, and university governance. She has recently taken charge as the Professor and Principal Advisor of the Prof. Makarand Hastak School of Construction Engineering & Management at MIT-WPU, playing a pivotal role in shaping its first foundational batch commencing in August 2026.

Academic Background & Career Highlights

Dr. Kulkarni completed her B.E. in Civil Engineering from VNIT Nagpur, followed by an M.E. in Civil (Construction and Management) and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering specializing in Total Quality Management (TQM) from Shivaji University.

Her illustrative administrative journey includes serving as the Founding Vice- Chancellor of NICMAR University, Pune (2023–2026). At NICMAR, she led the strategic transformation of the institute into a multidisciplinary, NEP-2020-compliant university, designing high-impact programs in Built environment. She has served as Director (2011–2023) and Principal (2005-2011) at Rajarambapu Institute of Technology (RIT), elevating the institute to national prominence with top NAAC rankings, comprehensive NBA accreditations, and World Bank-funded TEQIP phase implementations.

Global Leadership & Professional Contributions

A globally recognized figure in engineering education, Dr. Kulkarni has sat at the forefront of international academic bodies:

GEDC Chair (2023–2025) : Elected as Chair of the Global Engineering Deans Council, she orchestrated international summits in South Korea, Australia, and Mexico.

CIB Board Member : Serves on the Board of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (since January 2026).

IUCEE Director : Board Director for the Indo-Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education.

Scholarly Editing : Serving as Editor of the Scopus-indexed Journal of Engineering Education Transformations (JEET), transforming it into a Q2- ranked global journal.

Research, Innovation, & Accolades

Dr. Kulkarni possesses a rich research profile with 149 publications spanning international journals and conferences. Her research highlights sustainable built environments, watershed management, concrete quality, Academic excellence and women empowerment. She has successfully guided numerous Ph.D. scholars, handled over ₹6.5 crores in consultancy and incubation grants, and has 2 patents registered/ published including fuzzy approach optimization for pond ash in concrete).

In recognition of her global impact, she was honoured with the prestigious 2019 IFEES Duncan Fraser Global Award for Excellence in Engineering Education in Chennai. Her other distinct honours include the Lexicon Group "Excellence Enablers Award - Vice Chancellor" (2024), the ISTE Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan "Best Engineering College Principal Award" (2011) and being listed among "India’s 10 Most Ambitious Women in Education Sector".

At the Prof. Makarand Hastak School of Construction Engineering & Management, Dr. Kulkarni brings her vast reservoir of experience in Outcome-Based Education (OBE), deep industry-academia linkages, and international collaboration networks to nurture future-ready leaders for the global construction and infrastructure sectors.