Northwestern University taps new leader
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Mung Chiang. Photo: Courtesy of Shane Collins
Northwestern University has named Mung Chiang as its new president.
Why it matters: Northwestern's emphasis on Chiang's dedication to free speech and free expression signals how the school is aiming to navigate the Trump administration's political scrutiny of elite universities.
The big picture: Northwestern has faced penalties from the feds over campus protests, diversity policies and transgender health care, eventually leading to former president Michael Schill's resignation last September.
Zoom in: Chiang comes to Northwestern from Purdue University, where he's been since 2023.
- Before Purdue, Chiang taught engineering at Princeton, where he founded the Princeton EDGE Lab, which focuses on bridging the gap between theory and practice in networking research.
- Purdue built an AI memory chip and an advanced packaging facility during Chiang's tenure.
- As Northwestern's first Asian American president, Chiang cited his first-generation immigrant background as instrumental to his understanding of the importance of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
What they're saying: Chiang has "a reputation as a world-class researcher, educator, innovator and university leader who has focused on expanding discovery, supporting students and faculty, championing free expression and preparing universities for the future," the university said in a press release.
Former president Schill was one of several university leaders called to testify in front of a Republican-led House committee in 2024 about allegations of antisemitism on campuses.
- Schill told Congress that Northwestern would not divest from Israel.
- That was after reaching an agreement with Pro-Palestinian protesters who had set up encampments on campus at the beginning of the war in Gaza.
State of play: The university reached a $75 million agreement with the Trump administration last December to release $800 million frozen federal funds.
- The agreement included removing any mechanisms that recognize race in the admissions process, including "personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity."
- Northwestern and its Feinberg School of Medicine also outlined that they will no longer perform transgender surgeries, leading to questions about the future of gender-affirming care in Chicago.
The intrigue: Given that Northwestern is still very much part of the Big Ten, the school, of course, included Purdue's athletic performance under Chiang's presidency.
- Purdue's men's basketball team reached the national championship game and 248 athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors during the 2 2024-2025 school year.
What's next: Chiang starts at Northwestern on July 1.