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Bala Natarajan gets distinguished professorship at Kansas State
The honor recognizes his work on cyber-physical systems and mentoring of graduate researchers.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 30, Apr 2026
- 14:52 EDT
- 38
Bala Natarajan / k-state.edu
Indian American professor Bala Natarajan was named a University Distinguished Professor, the highest academic honor at Kansas State University, recognizing his contributions to engineering research, teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Natarajan, a professor in the Mike Wiegers Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Cyber-Physical Systems and Wireless Innovations (CPSWin) group, focuses on understanding and managing complex systems.
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His work spans mathematical modeling, design and analysis, with applications in areas such as smart grids, communication networks and smart health systems.
Through CPSWin and related collaborations, Natarajan has worked on systems that connect digital and physical environments, including resilient infrastructure and advanced sensing technologies.
His research has contributed to improvements in operational efficiency and system resilience across multiple domains, including critical infrastructure and biomedical applications.
At K-State, Natarajan has mentored more than 34 doctoral and 26 master’s students, while teaching a range of engineering courses. His academic output includes a graduate-level textbook, several book chapters and more than 320 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications.
He currently holds the Clair N. Palmer and Sara Palmer Electrical Engineering Professorship and is a Steve Hsu Keystone Research Scholar.
“My most meaningful moments at K-State have been working with students as they grow into confident researchers and leaders, building interdisciplinary collaborations, and strengthening our graduate education and global partnership efforts,” Natarajan said.
“Legacy, to me, is about what endures: students who lead, ideas that matter and collaborations that transcend boundaries. This recognition reinforces my commitment to all three,” he added.
Natarajan joined Kansas State University as an assistant professor in 2002, was promoted to associate professor in 2008 and professor in 2013.
Over his tenure, he has also held administrative roles, including interim director of International Research Development and Graduate Recruitment for the College of Engineering, and served the State of Kansas as sector lead for communications in critical infrastructure protection.
Natarajan earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani in 1997 and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Colorado State University in 2002. He later received a second Ph.D. in statistics from Kansas State University in 2018.
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