Martha E. Pollack
President, Cornell University
Martha E. Pollack is the 14th president of Cornell University and a professor of computer science, information science and linguistics.
Since becoming president in 2017, Pollack has worked to sustain and enhance Cornell’s academic distinction, to invest in innovative approaches to teaching and learning, to develop synergies among Cornell’s campuses, and to promote the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. She has launched several initiatives to shape Cornell’s future, including the Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate, which developed recommendations aimed at making Cornell equitable and inclusive, ranging from new educational programs to proposed changes in the university’s code of conduct. She also is working to expand Cornell’s presence in New York City, increasing student and faculty access to cultural, research and internship opportunities.
Prior to joining Cornell, Pollack was provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan, where she was responsible for an academic enterprise that includes 19 schools and colleges. Previously, she served as Michigan’s vice provost for academic and budgetary affairs and as dean of its School of Information. She has also served on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh and as a member of the technical staff at SRI International.
Pollack is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. She earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics at Dartmouth College and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.