MIT Names Indian-Origin Engineer Anantha Chandrakasan as Provost

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Anantha Chandrakasan, a veteran MIT professor and leading voice in engineering and innovation, has been appointed provost of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, effective 1 July.

A faculty member since 1994, Chandrakasan currently serves as dean of the School of Engineering and as MIT’s inaugural chief innovation and strategy officer.

He previously led the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT’s largest academic unit.

MIT president Sally Kornbluth, who announced the appointment, hailed Chandrakasan’s “nimbleness, entrepreneurial spirit, and boundless energy,” as well as his ability to mobilize support for bold ideas and advance MIT’s mission.

As provost, Chandrakasan will become the Institute’s senior academic and budget officer, responsible for faculty recruitment, educational programs, research strategy, financial planning, and international engagement.

The provost is effectively MIT’s second-in-command, shaping the academic and financial trajectory of the Institute alongside the president.

He succeeds Cynthia Barnhart, who announced her decision to step down earlier this year.

“I feel deeply honored to take on the role of provost,” Chandrakasan said. “Looking ahead, I see myself as a facilitator—enabling our community to continue making extraordinary contributions to the nation and the world.”

His top priorities include strategic financial planning, attracting and retaining world-class talent, and supporting cross-disciplinary research and entrepreneurship.

He plans to establish advisory groups comprising faculty, students, postdocs, and external voices, and emphasized the need to engage closely with academic units to shape the provost’s agenda.

Chandrakasan also underscored the importance of integrating STEM with the humanities and social sciences, citing the MIT Human Insights Collaborative as a model for bridging disciplines.

“MIT has a tremendous opportunity to lead in areas where the US seeks global leadership—from AI and semiconductors to quantum technologies and biomanufacturing,” he said. “But innovation must be coupled with human insight.”

During his time as chief innovation and strategy officer, Chandrakasan helped launch a suite of flagship initiatives, including MITHIC, MIT HEALS, MGAIC (“magic”), the Initiative for New Manufacturing, and the MIT-GE Vernova Energy and Climate Alliance.

As dean, he played a key role in founding the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, launching the Fast Forward climate plan, and forging major partnerships with industry.

He oversaw the appointment of 110 new faculty members and led 274 promotion cases within the School of Engineering.

His tenure has been marked by efforts to broaden participation and build a stronger sense of community, with initiatives like SAIC, GradSage, and the Riccio Graduate Engineering Leadership Program.

Chandrakasan earned his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering and computer sciences from UC Berkeley.

A prolific researcher, he has published extensively in energy-efficient systems and advised 78 PhD students. He continues to lead the MIT Energy-Efficient Circuits and Systems Group.

At EECS, he launched hallmark initiatives like SuperUROP, Rising Stars, and Postdoc6—programs designed to foster early-career research, community, and academic advancement.

Kornbluth also announced that professor Paula Hammond will become executive vice provost, while deputy dean of engineering Maria Yang will serve as interim dean until a permanent successor is named.