Chris Kaiser becomes provost
Chris Kaiser becomes provost
Chris A. Kaiser PhD ’87, former head of the department of Biology, assumed the role of provost on July 2. He succeeds L. Rafael Reif, who became president on July 2. The provost is the Institute’s senior academic and budget officer and is in charge of recruiting faculty as well as MIT’s educational programs.
Kaiser, 55, received his PhD in biology from MIT in 1987. He became faculty in 1991, and was the chair of the department of biology from 2004 until this March. Kaiser was nominated to head the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) last October, but withdrew this April, citing personal reasons.
The provost studies protein folding and intracellular transport, using yeast as a model organism. Kaiser taught 7.03 (Genetics) from 1992 to 2011, and was named a MacVicar Fellow in 1999 for his work with the class.
“I am delighted that Chris Kaiser has agreed to join the Institute’s leadership team. His scientific vision, collegiality, effective leadership and commitment to cultivating a diverse student body made him highly successful as head of our Department of Biology,” President Reif said in a statement to the MIT News Office. “I have no doubt that he will thrive as provost.”
—Jessica J. Pourian