There were a few times in the career of Subra Suresh that he thought he would one day retire in the position he held. But then came the offers—first from MIT; then from the president of the United States; and, most recently, from Carnegie Mellon, where on July 1 he became the university’s ninth president. 

There are different paths to success. Some are easier than others. Carnegie Mellon alumna and trustee Carol Williams she has climbed the ladder of a multibillion-dollar global company. But her path, going back to her undergraduate days, has meant dealing with some roadblocks that women know all too well.

When Jim Garrett was named dean of Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering, it was big news for that college’s students, faculty, and alumni. As for his ongoing research determining the safety of bridges, it may one day be big news for everyone who travels on roads throughout the United States.