Executives/Carnegie Mellon University CEO
Farnam Jahanian, CEO of Carnegie Mellon University

Who is the CEO of Carnegie Mellon University in 2026?

Farnam Jahanian is the President of Carnegie Mellon University. Farnam has held the CEO seat since March 2018, and was previously Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at National Science Foundation (NSF).

Updated September 24, 2026
Time in seat
8 years
CEO since March 2018
Years at company
12 years
Joined Carnegie Mellon University August 2014
Career span
37 years
First recorded role January 1989
Summary
  • Farnam Jahanian rose through Carnegie Mellon University: Provost and Chief Academic Officer from August 2014, then Interim President from July 2017, before taking the CEO seat in March 2018.
  • Farnam Jahanian was Chair for Computer Science and Engineering at University of Michigan from June 2007 to March 2011.
  • Farnam Jahanian holds an MS, Computer Science and a phD, Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin, and studied at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Current company

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

higher educationHeadquartered in PittsburghFounded 1900Private company

Source: Wikidata

Career and education

Farnam Jahanian joined Carnegie Mellon University in August 2014 and has been CEO since March 2018. Before Carnegie Mellon University, Farnam was Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at National Science Foundation (NSF) from March 2011 until August 2014.

Career

  1. Carnegie Mellon University2014 to present
    • PresidentMarch 2018 to present
    • Interim PresidentJuly 2017 to February 2018
    • Provost and Chief Academic OfficerAugust 2014 to June 2017
  2. National Science Foundation (NSF)2011 to 2014
    • Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate
  3. University of Michigan1993 to 2014
    • Chair for Computer Science and EngineeringJune 2007 to March 2011
    • Edward S. Davidson Collegiate Professor of Computer Science and EngineeringJuly 1993 to August 2014
  4. Arbor Networks, now part of NETSCOUT2000 to 2010
    • Founder and Chairman
  5. IBM1989 to 1993
    • Research Staff Member

Sources: LinkedIn profile

Education

The University of Texas at San AntonioThe University of Texas at Austin, MS, Computer ScienceThe University of Texas at Austin, PhD, Computer ScienceSource

Decision makers by function

50+ decision makers at Carnegie Mellon University in Unify, vice president level and above. Choose a function to see who leads it.

Decision maker preview

Top decision makers at Carnegie Mellon University

Vice president level and above, most senior first
Anita JesionowskiInterim Chief Partnership Officer-Research and Government Relations · USA@cmu.edu
Norman GottronManaging Director, AI Institute for Societal Decision Making (AI-SDM) · USA@cmu.edu
Barr von OehsenSenior Advisor, Research Computing and Data, Office of the Vice President for Research · USA@cmu.edu
Elizabeth DickeyProfessor and Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering · USA@cmu.edu
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Leadership team at Carnegie Mellon University

Farnam Jahanian leads a leadership team of 11 published executives.

Most senior 5 of 11

NameTitleIn seat since
Farnam JahanianPresidentMarch 2018
Mary Jo DivelyVice President and General Counsel, and Secretary of the CorporationNot stated
James H. GarrettProvost and Chief Academic OfficerNot stated
Charles A. KennedyChief Investment OfficerNot stated
Stan WaddellVice President for Information Technology and Chief Information OfficerNot stated

Sources: Carnegie Mellon University Officers of the Corporation page

Frequently asked questions

Who is the CEO of Carnegie Mellon University?

Farnam Jahanian is the President of Carnegie Mellon University. Farnam has held the CEO seat since March 2018, and was previously Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at National Science Foundation (NSF).

When did Farnam Jahanian become CEO of Carnegie Mellon University?

Farnam Jahanian has been CEO of Carnegie Mellon University since March 2018, according to LinkedIn profile.

What did Farnam Jahanian do before Carnegie Mellon University?

Farnam Jahanian was Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at National Science Foundation (NSF) from March 2011 until August 2014, according to LinkedIn profile.

How long has Farnam Jahanian been CEO of Carnegie Mellon University?

Farnam Jahanian has been CEO of Carnegie Mellon University for 8 years, since March 2018.

Who else leads Carnegie Mellon University?

Mary Jo Dively (Vice President and General Counsel, and Secretary of the Corporation), James H. Garrett (Provost and Chief Academic Officer), Charles A. Kennedy (Chief Investment Officer), Stan Waddell (Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer), and 6 more. Source: Carnegie Mellon University Officers of the Corporation page.

Reach Carnegie Mellon University's decision makers

50+ leaders at vice president level and above, with verified work emails and phone numbers in Unify.

Methodology

The seat holder is identified in Unify's professional profile dataset, then confirmed against the company's published leadership page, its SEC filings, and Wikipedia before publication. Career and education rows carry the public document they were taken from. Leadership team membership follows the company's own leadership page; in-seat dates come from filings where available and otherwise from the profile record. Company figures are read from the Unify headcount page for the same company and are profile coverage measures, never company-reported workforce totals. The employee preview lists vice president and senior vice president level profiles by department. No personal contact details are published.

Identity confirmed against Wikipedia, Carnegie Mellon University. Last verified: September 24, 2026.