Director

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) seeks an intellectually broad, collaborative, and accomplished scientist-leader to serve as its next Director of the Neuroscience Institute (NI). Anchored in the birthplace of artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology, the Neuroscience Institute capitalizes on Carnegie Mellon’s unparalleled strengths in the study of brain and behavior. Since its founding, the Neuroscience Institute has provided an exciting platform for groundbreaking critical inquiry in cognitive, computational, and systems neuroscience as well as neuroengineering. Reporting to the Deans of MCS and Dietrich College, the Director serves as the chief spokesperson and executive officer of the Neuroscience Institute.

The Neuroscience Institute was initially launched as CMU BrainHub℠ in 2015. At the time, it was CMU’s first multi-disciplinary research partnership aimed at understanding the brain and how it gives rise to behavior. In 2018, with participation from the entire CMU community, the strategic planning for the Neuroscience Institute was completed, and all programmatic activities undertaken in CMU BrainHub℠ were then included under NI. 

Today, the Neuroscience Institute’s central mission is to conduct interdisciplinary research that harnesses CMU’s core strengths in computation, cognitive science, machine learning, data science, biology, and engineering to understand and improve function in both healthy and diseased brains. Academically, the Institute aims to create leaders with the cross-disciplinary skills and knowledge to use neural sciences to solve tomorrow’s problems.

The incoming Director will bridge across colleges and disciplines, including a robust partnership with the University of Pittsburgh through the 30-year-old joint Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. The Director will also be charged with providing visionary strategic leadership; supporting broad-ranging research initiatives; advancing the Institute’s philanthropic and industry engagement; identifying and securing diverse research funding sources; and upholding the Institute’s commitment to deepening interdisciplinary collaboration across and outside the university. The successful candidate will be a transparent communicator, an excellent relationship builder, and a leader who energetically pursues opportunities to mentor and guide faculty, staff, and students.

Carnegie Mellon University has engaged Isaacson, Miller to assist in the search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted below.

John Muckle is leading this search with Ibaad Nazeer and Kira Hamilton. 

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders. The university’s Discriminatory and Sexual Misconduct Policy contains grievance procedures that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of Complaints alleging any action which would be prohibited by this Policy. Inquiries concerning the application of and compliance with this statement should be directed to the Office for Institutional Equity and Title IX, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-7125.