Photo: Gretchen Ertl
India-West Staff Reporter
CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has named Anantha Chandrakasan as its new provost, effective July 1. As MIT’s senior academic and budget officer, the provost holds broad responsibility for the Institute’s educational programs, faculty recruitment, promotion, and tenure, and plays a crucial role in strategic planning, financial oversight, and international engagements.
Chandrakasan brings an extensive track record of leadership and groundbreaking initiatives to his new post. He has served as the dean of the School of Engineering since 2017 and, more recently, as MIT’s inaugural chief innovation and strategy officer since 2024. Before his deanship, he led the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science —MIT’s largest academic department—for six years.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth lauded Chandrakasan’s appointment, emphasizing his exceptional contributions. “Anantha brings to this post an exceptional record of shaping and leading important innovations for the Institute,” Kornbluth stated. “I am particularly grateful that we will be able to draw on Anantha’s depth and breadth of experience; his nimbleness, entrepreneurial spirit and boundless energy; his remarkable record in raising funds from outside sources for important ideas; and his profound commitment to MIT’s mission.”
“Looking ahead, I see myself as a key facilitator, enabling faculty, students, postdocs, and staff to continue making extraordinary contributions to the nation and the world,” Chandrakasan said.
He plans to foster deep engagement with leaders across MIT’s various schools and academic units to gain insights into their unique challenges and aspirations, which will inform the Office of the Provost’s priorities.
His extensive research background, evidenced by over 120,000 citations and advising 78 PhD students, offers him a deep, firsthand understanding of the research landscape and its challenges.
Chandrakasan earned his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. After joining the MIT faculty, he directed the Microsystems Technology Laboratories from 2006 to 2011 before becoming the EECS department head.