Nandika DSouza

I am a professor in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and concurrently an Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives at University of Texas at Dallas since June 2024. Previously I served as a professor and associate dean for academic affairs at University of North Texas. I worked at UNT since my PhD in 1994, becoming an assistant professor starting 1996. It seems in life and in work, I love bridging and understanding different concepts. I grew up as a Catholic Christian in Bombay, India, attending St. Josephs High School for 1-10th grade, St. Xavier's for 11th and 12th going to mass each week with my family. Faith has been a part of my life since birth. My mother and a few generations before hers were raised Catholic. My father was a convert to Christianity and when he passed away early in my life, my mum remarried another converted Christian. When I came to America after my undergraduate degree, my first few months away from home on arrival at Auburn University in Alabama, brought much reflection on the global nature of my faith. Saying familiar prayers and doing familiar rituals surrounded by strangers was a profound experience that gave me a realization of the wonderful nature of my faith. I then moved to Texas A&M where I really enjoyed my experience. I was fortunate to have an office in close proximity to Prof. Walter Bradley who proved to be an excellent example of being a professor. He displayed a remarkable desire to enable everyone to succeed, always shared his own faith journey and brought excellence, humor, responsibility and encouragement to every conversation. My family comprises of my husband and two children. We are rooted in faith and the belief that we reflect God in what we do with what he has given us and that we wait and learn what he wishes of us. One of the sources of great joy at work is watching students evolve and find themselves through their journey to graduation. I recognize many of my own steps and missteps and love to remind all that there is an innate purpose and capability that we each have. When those two come together, through faith, all can be sustained. Failure need not be the end. We can ask God to give us courage and stand back up again. I grow daily in my faith. I enjoy connecting to other Christian faculty and staff and growing in comprehension of the immense wisdom in the Bible and the journey of salvation. I encourage more faculty to declare themselves Christian and let students and faculty know that wanting to follow the example of Jesus is a good way to be. I prefer to work on improving myself to be more Christian than focusing on converting others. I find example is better than words. I enjoy a query on what gives me the smile I like to walk around with. I then experience great joy in relating that faith, the living example of my Mum and step-father, the challenges and fortitude God provides lead to a sense of purpose and contentment that abides in my life. Having two children and a husband who also place God at the head of their lives gives me a sense that all is just right in the world when we live by Him.