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University of Manitoba appoints Ayush Kumar vice-provost
Indian origin microbiologist and academic leader will serve a five-year term while continuing as professor.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 31, Jul 2026
- 17:19 EDT
- 30
Ayush Kumar / umtoday.ca
The University of Manitoba has appointed Indian-origin microbiologist and academic leader Ayush Kumar as its vice-provost for academic affairs.
Kumar began his five-year term on July 1 and will serve through June 30, 2031. He will continue to hold his appointment as professor in the department of microbiology in the university's faculty of science.
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Prior to his appointment, Kumar served as associate dean of strategic initiatives in the faculty of A, where he led faculty-wide equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) initiatives and oversaw the Wawatay Program, which supports Indigenous students pursuing science education.
The university said his collaborative leadership and commitment to fostering inclusive academic environments have been central to his work.
"I am confident that Dr. Kumar's commitment to collaborative and collegial leadership, Indigenous excellence and success, EDIA and research will well serve the Provost's Office and the University of Manitoba," provost and vice-president (academic) Diane Hiebert-Murphy said in a statement.
Kumar's research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
His work also examines the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the environment and the microbiological quality of drinking water in Manitoba First Nations communities.
The research aims to address the growing global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, particularly as few new treatments for Gram-negative bacterial infections are being developed.
His research has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Mitacs and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Throughout his career, Kumar has been recognized for excellence in teaching, outreach and academic service. He previously served as president of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists, currently serves on its executive committee and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.
A University of Manitoba alumnus, Kumar earned his Ph.D. in microbiology from the university in 2004 after completing bachelor's and master's degrees in microbiology and biochemistry at Dr. R.M.L. Awadh University in India.
He completed postdoctoral research at Colorado State University before beginning his academic career as an assistant professor at Ontario Tech University, then known as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
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