“The Role of Academia in American Innovation and Competitiveness”
Dr. Pradeep Khosla, Chancellor
University of California – San Diego
Pradeep K. Khosla became UC San Diego’s eighth chancellor on August 1, 2012. As chief
executive officer, he leads a campus with more than 45,000 students within 11 academic,
professional and graduate schools and eight undergraduate residential colleges. UC San Diego is
also home to the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the UC San Diego Health
System. With annual revenues of $9.1 billion in fiscal year 2024, UC San Diego is an academic
and research powerhouse, with faculty, researchers and staff attracting more than $1.73 billion in
sponsored research funding in 2024. UC San Diego is recognized as one of the top 20 research
universities in the world and is the largest civilian employer based in San Diego County.
Chancellor Khosla initiated and led UC San Diego’s first-ever Strategic Plan and the ambitious
10-year, $2 billion Campaign for UC San Diego. The Campaign raised $3.05 billion, exceeding
its original goal by more than $1 billion, and making UC San Diego the youngest institution ever
to complete a multi-billion-dollar fundraising campaign. During his tenure, Khosla has initiated
more than $12 billion in capital improvements to expand health care services, classrooms and
research space, double the number of on-campus housing units and enhance the student
experience.
Dr. Khosla has significantly expanded college access and affordability for underserved
populations, initiated interdisciplinary research initiatives to foster collaboration and solve
societal challenges, and strengthened university and community relationships and partnerships.
Under his leadership, UC San Diego Athletics transitioned to full Division I eligibility in 2024.
An internationally renowned electrical and computer engineer, Khosla previously served as Dean
of the College of Engineering and Philip and Marsha Dowd University Professor at Carnegie
Mellon University. He spent the majority of his early career at Carnegie Mellon, rising through
the ranks from his first position as Assistant Professor in 1986 to his appointment as Dean in 2004.
From 1994 to 1996, he also served as a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) Program Manager in the Software and Intelligent Systems Technology Office, Defense
Sciences Office and Tactical Technology Office, where he managed advanced research and
development programs.
Pradeep Khosla is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National
Academy of Engineering and the American Society for Engineering Education. He is a Fellow of
the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, the American Association for Advancement of Science, the American Association of
Artificial Intelligence, the Indian Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of
Inventors, and the Indian National Science Academy. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Indian
Academy of Science. Khosla 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. In 2012, he was named one of the 50 most
influential Indian-Americans by SiliconIndia.
Chancellor Khosla’s educational and research contributions have resulted in 3 books and more
than 350 articles in journals, conferences, and book contributions. His research interests are in
the areas of autonomous robotic systems, embedded software, cybersecurity of embedded
systems, and applications of AI in robotics and design. He received a B. Tech (Hons) degree in
Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1980, and a MS and
Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon in 1984, and 1986,
respectively