About the Chancellor

Dr. Aparna Dileep-Nageswaran Palmer serves as Chancellor at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), located in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. UAS is a regional university with campuses in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka—coastal communities situated in Alaska’s magnificent Tongass National Forest. As Chancellor, Dr. Palmer provides strategic leadership in fulfilling the UAS mission, including budget development, academic planning and program assessments, student and enrollment services, administrative services, and community relations.

Before her appointment as Chancellor Dr. Palmer most recently served as a Vice President at Front Range Community College (FRCC), which is part of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), as the chief executive of the Boulder County Campus and interim chief executive of the Larimer County Campus.  She has over 25 years of experience in higher education, having served as an administrator, as a Professor of Biology, as Faculty Senate President, and Faculty Trustee on the CMU/WCCC Board.

Dr. Palmer holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Washington State University as well as a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in English from Colorado State University. As a scientist, she studies the natural histories and molecular genetics of tardigrades (water bears) and polychaetes (seaworms).

Dr. Palmer and her husband Brian have made their home in Juneau. They enjoy the great outdoors, taking advantage of all that Southeast Alaska has to offer.