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Teik Lim named interim president at UT Arlington

University of Texas System Chancellor James B. Milliken announced today that Teik Lim, Ph.D., will serve as president ad interim of UT Arlington, effective immediately.

Teik Lim, profile photo
President ad interim: Teik Lim, Ph.D.

Lim has been serving as administrator in charge of UT Arlington since March 19, 2020, following the resignation of former president Vistasp Karbhari. Lim has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at UT Arlington since 2017. He is also a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

“Dr. Lim is an accomplished and experienced academic administrator, and I’ve already been impressed with how he has provided guidance to the UT Arlington community as it responds to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic,” Milliken said. “He has worked collaboratively with faculty as they educate students, and he’s managing the university’s day-to-day operations well. I have every confidence the university will continue to benefit from his leadership as interim president.”

Before coming to UT Arlington, Lim served as the dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati. Lim is internationally recognized as a leading scholar in the field of structural vibrations and acoustics as well as modeling and simulation technology.

“I am honored and humbled to be able to serve in this role and to be a part of an institution that embraces access and excellence equally,” Lim said. “Together with the campus community, and in partnership with our alumni, corporate partners, public officials and other external stakeholders, we will continue the momentum of student success and research excellence.”

A search for a permanent president of UT Arlington has been temporarily paused because of the pandemic, Milliken said.

“At this time, everyone at the UT System and across the country is focused on operating under very challenging circumstances and in making plans for summer and fall semesters,” Milliken said. “We believe the opportunities for UT Arlington and its next president are extremely attractive, and we want to be sure we get the attention and participation of the best candidates from around the country.”   

Milliken will communicate with the UT Arlington campus community about the launch of the presidential search in the coming weeks.

About The University of Texas System

For more than 130 years, The University of Texas System has been committed to improving the lives of Texans and people all over the world through education, research and health care. With 14 institutions, an enrollment of nearly 240,000 students and an operating budget of $21.1 billion (FY 2020), the UT System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produce more than 60,000 graduates annually and award more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees and more than half of its health professional degrees. Collectively, UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 9.2 million outpatient visits and 1.8 million hospital days last year. Across UT institutions, research and development expenditures total $3.1 billion – the highest in Texas and second highest in the nation among public higher education systems – and the UT System is regularly ranked among the top 10 most innovative universities in the world. The UT System also is one of the largest employers in Texas, with more than 21,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and more than 85,000 health care professionals, researchers and support staff.

News Contact Information

Karen Adler: kadler@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4360 (direct) • 210-912-8055 (cell)