Hamsa Balakrishnan appointed Associate Dean of MIT School of Engineering

Hamsa Balakrishnan, the distinguished William E. Leonhard (1940) Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) at MIT, has been appointed as the associate dean of the MIT School of Engineering, effective August 1. Her new role will see her spearheading initiatives aimed at attracting, retaining, and nurturing talent within the School of Engineering.

Balakrishnan’s responsibilities will include shaping faculty-focused programs, overseeing various student-oriented initiatives, and managing fellowships, awards, and honors. The announcement was made on August 5, reflecting MIT’s confidence in Balakrishnan’s leadership abilities.

In her previous capacity as principal investigator of the Dynamics, Infrastructure Networks, and Mobility (DINaMo) group, Balakrishnan has led research into the optimization of infrastructure systems, collaborating with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, and major airports. Her work has addressed critical issues such as air traffic congestion and advanced air mobility.

Balakrishnan’s tenure as associate department head in AeroAstro from 2018 to 2021 was marked by significant contributions to the department’s educational framework. She restructured graduate student recruitment, managed the transition to remote learning during the pandemic, and introduced a novel provisional funding program for PhD students.

Her role as director of Transportation@MIT from 2018 to 2019 involved overseeing interdepartmental graduate programs in transportation, aiming to enhance faculty engagement and student recruitment. Additionally, Balakrishnan co-founded Lumo, a data analytics company focused on predicting flight delays, where she continues to serve as chief scientist.

Balakrishnan's career has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the NSF CAREER Award and the AIAA’s Lawrence Sperry Award. She has also been honored for her commitment to teaching and mentorship with several MIT awards.

Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the School of Engineering, praised Balakrishnan’s impact and expressed enthusiasm about her new role, stating, “Professor Balakrishnan’s passion and dedication have already made a lasting impact on the School of Engineering. I am delighted to welcome her to the faculty leadership team.”

Balakrishnan succeeds Elsa Olivetti, who has been named mission director for the MIT Climate Project. Olivetti will remain in her role until the end of August.

Balakrishnan earned her bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology at Madras, and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University. Her professional background includes roles at the University Affiliated Research Center at UC Santa Cruz and NASA Ames Research Center.