Carnegie Mellon University Names New President

PITTSBURGH, PA - Farnam Jahanian has been appointed Carnegie Mellon University’s new president, the university announced Thursday. Jahanian, who has served as the university’s acting president since last July, will be formally installed in the fall.
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He succeeds Subra Suresh, who resigned in June after four years. Suresh’s presidential tenure was the shortest in CMU history.

Jahanian joined the university in 2014 as vice president for research and was appointed provost in 2015. As the university’s chief academic officer, he led the university's colleges, schools, institutes and campuses and played a significant role in the university’s budgeting, facilities management and other functions.

"A rigorous, international search has made it clear that Dr. Jahanian possesses a rare set of qualities and experiences that make him exactly the right leader for this university at this extraordinary moment in its history," James Rohr, chair of the university’s trustees, said in a statement.

Said Jahanian: "It's a remarkable honor and privilege to work with the students, faculty and staff who are seizing the possibilities of this century and solving its problems.”

Before arriving at CMU, Jahanian led the National Science Foundation Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) from 2011 to 2014. He guided CISE, with a budget of almost $900 million, in its mission to advance scientific discovery and engineering innovation through its support of fundamental research.

Jahanian previously served as the Edward S. Davidson Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan, where he served as chair for Computer Science and Engineering from 2007 to 2011 and as director of the Software Systems Laboratory from 1997 to 2000.

Photo via Carnegie Mellon University.