USA (Commonwealth Union)_ The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has named Professor Anantha Chandrakasan as its new Provost, the first Indian-born academic to hold the position in the university’s history. He officially took on the role in July, succeeding Cynthia Barnhart, who stepped down earlier this year. Chandrakasan, who has been a central figure in MIT’s academic leadership for more than a decade, brings a wide range of experience in research, innovation, and administration. As Provost, he will lead efforts in faculty affairs, financial strategy, academic planning, and educational programming across the university. “It’s a true honor to serve as provost,” said Chandrakasan. “My role will be to support and empower our faculty, students, postdocs, and staff as they push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. I want to help make sure MIT continues to have a real impact—both nationally and globally.”
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Chandrakasan was born in Chennai, India, and moved to the United States when he was a teenager. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. After completing his PhD in 1994, he joined MIT, where he began working with the Microsystems Technology Laboratories. He rose to the position of head of MIT’s largest academic division, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), by 2011. There, he launched several programs aimed at broadening participation in research and entrepreneurship. These included SuperUROP, a year-long research experience for undergraduates; Rising Stars, a mentoring initiative for women interested in academic careers; and StartMIT, a bootcamp for students exploring entrepreneurship.
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In 2017, Chandrakasan was named Dean of MIT’s School of Engineering. During his tenure, he expanded the school’s global partnerships, grew its research footprint, and worked to strengthen diversity and inclusion across the engineering community. Under his leadership, MIT added 110 new faculty members and supported hundreds of promotion and tenure cases. He was also instrumental in creating new research collaborations and labs, including the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium, and the MIT Quest for Intelligence. These initiatives brought together researchers from different fields to work on some of today’s most complex global challenges. In 2024, he was appointed MIT’s first Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer. In that role, he helped launch several major efforts, such as the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC), the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (MIT HEALS), and the MIT Generative AI Impact Consortium (MGAIC). These programs support cutting-edge research in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to biomanufacturing and health technology.
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Along with his leadership duties, Chandrakasan has been an active researcher. He directs the MIT Energy-Efficient Circuits and Systems Group, which specializes in low-power electronics such as biomedical devices, secure hardware, energy-harvesting systems, and wireless charging for the Internet of Things (IoT). He has written extensively on the subject and mentored 78 PhD candidates in his career, guiding the next generation of engineers and innovators. Additionally, his research excellence has earned him several honors, including the 2009 Semiconductor Industry Association University Researcher Award, the 2013 IEEE Donald O. Pederson Award in Solid-State Circuits, and an honorary doctorate from KU Leuven. Chandrakasan is an IEEE fellow and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2015, a top honor in his field.
As Chandrakasan begins his new chapter at MIT, he says his focus will be on listening and learning from across the MIT community. “MIT is home to a wide range of disciplines and perspectives,” he said. “By working closely with leaders across all academic units, I hope to help shape the future of MIT in a way that reflects our shared dedication to success, inclusion, and impact,” he added. With a career that bridges deep technical knowledge, visionary leadership, and a passion for mentorship, Anantha Chandrakasan brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to the role of Provost, one that positions MIT to continue leading in innovation for years to come.
