FIU announces new Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Irma Becerra-Fernandez, professor of Management Information Systems (MIS), and the director and fellow of the Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center within the College of Business Administration, has been appointed Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.

Irma Becerra-Fernandez

Becerra-Fernandez will support the Provost in setting overall academic priorities, overseeing university-wide implementation of student-centered initiatives, and maintaining academic policies, including those affecting faculty and instructor appointments and development.

“I am honored to have been chosen for this position,” Becerra-Fernandez said. “I’m excited to continue contributing to this incredible institution in this new and challenging role.”

Becerra-Fernandez obtained both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Miami and worked at Florida Power and Light for six years. Upon receiving her doctorate, she joined the Southern Technology Application Center at the University of Florida, which commercialized technology developed at NASA. In 1998, she joined the department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems within the College of Business at FIU and secured approximately $2 million dollars in federal grants as a principal investigator under the auspices of the FIU Knowledge Management Lab, which she founded. 

“Dr. Becerra-Fernandez is a proven leader whose strong academic background, coupled with her deep ties with South Florida and FIU, makes her the perfect person for this important position,” said FIU Provost Douglas Wartzok.

As director of the Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center, Becerra-Fernandez was responsible for defining a new business strategy for the center and designing a plan to ensure the center would be able to achieve self-sustainability. During her tenure as center director, she and her team launched new initiatives, including the FIU Americas Venture Capital Conference, held last November 17th and 18th, which provided a unique opportunity for approximately 350 Latin American and U.S. entrepreneurs to network with financiers, service providers, and others invested in the growth of Latin American business.

Becerra-Fernandez will continue to chair this year’s Americas Venture Capital Conference as a replacement is found to head the Pino Center.

Media Contact:  Jean-Paul Renaud at 305-348-2716.