Pradeep K. Khosla
Eighth Chancellor, University of California, San Diego

Photo: Pradeep Khosla

Brief Biography

Pradeep K. Khosla, a distinguished academic leader and electrical and computer engineer, began his tenure as UC San Diego’s eighth chancellor on August 1, 2012. Chancellor Khosla previously served as dean of engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. There, he set the strategic direction for undergraduate and graduate education and research, and was elected University Professor, the highest distinction a faculty member could achieve. He also initiated undergraduate curriculum reform, successful diversity efforts, multidisciplinary research centers and graduate offerings, and international programs.

Chancellor Khosla is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Engineering, an Honorary Fellow of the Indian Academy of Science, and a Fellow of the American Association of Artificial Intelligence. He is also the recipient of numerous awards for his leadership, teaching, and research, including the 2012 Light of India Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the George Westinghouse Award for contributions to improve engineering teaching. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon.

Download Pradeep K. Khosla’s CV PDF

Pradeep Khosla at a Glance

Education

  • Bachelor’s degree in technology from Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur, India), 1980
  • Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) from Carnegie Mellon University, 1984
  • Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, 1986

Previous Positions

  • Dean of the College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2004-) and Philip and Marsha Dowd University Professor, Carnegie Mellon University (2008-)
  • Founding Director, Carnegie Mellon CyLab (2001-2008)
  • Director, Information Networking Institute (2000-2004)
  • Head, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (1999-2004)
  • Philip and Marsha Dowd Professor of Engineering and Robotics (1998-)
  • Founding Director, Institute for Complex Engineered Systems (1997-1999)
  • Professor of ECE and Robotics (1994-)
  • Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (1994-1996)
  • Associate Professor of ECE and Robotics (1990-1994)
  • Assistant Professor of ECE and Robotics (1986-1990)

Professional Societies

  • Member, National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
  • Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Fellow, American Association of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
  • Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Member, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
  • Honorary Fellow, Indian Academy of Science
  • Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering
  • Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Awards and Honors

  • 2012 Light of India Award
  • IBM Faculty Award
  • (Inaugural) Academic Excellence Award, Pan IIT
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, ASME
  • Cyber Education Award, Business Software Alliance
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, IIT
  • W. Wallace McDowell Award, IEEE Computer Society
  • SiliconIndia Leadership Award for Excellence in Academics and Technology
  • ASEE 1999 George Westinghouse Award for Education

Other Recognition

Photos and Videos

The thumbnail photos below link to higher resolution RGB images.

The Role of the Chancellor

A successful Chancellor has to be an executive with the political skills to respond to internal and external constituencies; an administrator with the technical expertise to manage billion-dollar budgets and thousands of employees; and an entrepreneur who can create a compelling vision for the future of the campus that inspires faculty, students and staff, as well as private donors whose support the Chancellor must cultivate. The Chancellor is essentially an academic and thought leader, mayor, CEO and lead fundraiser rolled into one. The Chancellor must also be a resourceful and creative problem-solver who can manage a campus that is an economic and innovation engine.

Read more about the role of the Chancellor.

For More Information

  • Brook Williamson, Senior Director of Chancellor Communications, bewilliamson@ucsd.edu or 858-534-0361
  • Jeff Gattas, Executive Director of Marketing, Media Relations and Public Affairs, jgattas@ucsd.edu or 858-822-6914