Northwestern University has appointed Mung Chiang, president of Purdue University, as its 18th president, effective July 1. Chiang succeeds Michael Schill, who stepped down in September 2025, with President Emeritus Henry Bienen serving as interim president until the transition.
Chiang joins Northwestern after leading Purdue through a period of significant growth in research, industry partnerships and technology investment. During his tenure, Purdue surpassed $1 billion in annual sponsored research expenditures, secured $3.9 billion in semiconductor-related investments and expanded its presence through the launch of its Indianapolis urban campus.
Northwestern’s Board of Trustees selected Chiang following an international search process involving faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees.
“I am honored and thrilled to be Northwestern’s next president,” Chiang said. “I have long admired Northwestern for its dedication to interdisciplinary scholarship, artistic creation and impactful research.”
A researcher and higher education leader, Chiang has built a career spanning academia, entrepreneurship and public service. Before becoming Purdue’s president in 2023, he served as dean of Purdue’s College of Engineering and later as executive vice president for strategic initiatives. Prior to Purdue, he spent 14 years at Princeton University, where he held leadership roles in engineering, entrepreneurship and innovation.
His research focuses on networking systems, the Internet of Things, fog networking and network economics. Chiang is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has received several major honours, including the National Science Foundation’s Alan T. Waterman Award and the IEEE Founders Medal.
Beyond academia, Chiang has played a role in U.S. science and technology policy. He served as science and technology adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State and currently chairs the congressionally chartered U.S. Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation.
Northwestern Board Chair Peter Barris said Chiang’s experience leading research-intensive institutions and securing resources for innovation positioned him well to guide the university’s next phase of growth.
“Through his stellar academic and administrative leadership at multiple institutions, Mung has demonstrated his ability to harness opportunity and momentum while embracing the breadth and depth of a university,” Barris said.
Chiang will become Northwestern’s first Asian American president. He said his initial focus will be engaging with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners to better understand the university’s culture and priorities.
The appointment comes as U.S. universities face increasing competition for research funding, talent and industry partnerships, placing leadership succession at major institutions under greater scrutiny. Northwestern, consistently ranked among the nation’s leading research universities, operates across disciplines including medicine, engineering, business, social sciences, humanities and the arts.
Chiang said he was drawn to Northwestern’s interdisciplinary approach and global reputation, describing the institution as one of the world’s leading comprehensive universities.
“Generations of Northwestern students and colleagues have elevated this University to international preeminence,” Chiang said. “I look forward to serving alongside all the colleagues to continue Northwestern’s upward trajectory.”
