26/05/2026
Mung Chiang, once a top student in Hong Kong with 10 straight A grades in the 1995 public exams, has been named the next president of Northwestern University — becoming the first Asian American to lead the 175-year-old institution.
Currently serving as president of Purdue University, Chiang will officially take office on July 1. Born in Tianjin and raised in Hong Kong from age 11, he overcame language barriers after arriving in the city and later moved to the U.S. to study at Stanford University, earning degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics.
Chiang built an impressive academic career at Princeton and Purdue, while also contributing to U.S. science and technology policy. His expertise includes network optimization, IoT, fog computing, and smart data pricing. He has also served as a science and technology adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State and sits on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee board.
Northwestern described him as a visionary leader focused on free expression, interdisciplinary research, and preparing universities for the future. He takes over during a critical period as the university recovers from major federal funding disputes and campus controversies.
