Anantha Chandrakasan became the Institute’s new provost on July 1, succeeding Cynthia Barnhart, SM ’86, PhD ’88, who announced her decision to step down in February. Chandrakasan, who earned his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, joined MIT in 1994. He headed the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT’s largest academic department, for six years. As MIT’s senior academic and budget officer, Chandrakasan will focus on understanding institutional needs and strategic financial planning, attracting and retaining top talent, and supporting cross-cutting research, education, and entrepreneurship programming. He also plans to establish a provost faculty advisory group, as well as student/postdoc advisory groups and an external provost advisory council.