Michael Sipser assumes role of dean in the School of Science
Michael Sipser, a renowned theoretical computer scientist, has been named the dean of MIT's School of Science, taking over from Marc Kastner who was chosen to head the Department of Energy's Office of Science.
Sipser, who hails from Cambridge, earned his BA in mathematics from Cornell University in 1974 and his PhD in engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1980. He has been a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since an unspecified date and is currently the Barton L. Weller Professor of Mathematics at MIT.
Sipser has been a member of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory since 1979, serving as the head of the Department of Mathematics since 2004. He has also been instrumental in bringing the Advantage Testing Foundation's Math Prize for Girls to MIT's campus.
During his tenure as the head of the Department of Mathematics, Sipser has made significant contributions to the department. Although the exact specific accomplishments during his tenure are not detailed in the available documents, his leadership period ended recently in 2025, making way for Nergis Mavalvala to become the Dean of MIT’s School of Science.
Under Sipser's leadership, the Department of Mathematics has seen a 64 percent increase in the number of undergraduate majors. Rebecca Saxe, an associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, chaired the faculty advisory committee that selected Sipser as the dean from a field of candidates.
Sipser's work includes collaborative research initiatives and contributions to computational complexity theory, which also reflect on his influential role within the department and broader mathematical community. He has authored the widely used textbook "Introduction to the Theory of Computation," first published in 1996 and now in its third edition.
Sipser has received numerous awards for his teaching, including the MIT Graduate Student Council Teaching Award in 1984, 1989, and 1991, and the School of Science Student Advising Award in 2003. Due to his fundraising efforts, the department now provides fellowships to all first-year graduate students.
In his personal life, Sipser lives in Cambridge with his wife, Ina, and has two children: a daughter, Rachel, who recently graduated from New York University, and a son, Aaron, who is a high school junior.
Sources:
[1] MIT News: Michael Sipser Named Dean of the School of Science - https://news.mit.edu/2021/michael-sipser-named-dean-school-science-0909
[2] MIT News: Sipser Honored with the 2021 Wolf Prize in Mathematics - https://news.mit.edu/2021/sipser-honored-wolf-prize-mathematics-0322
[3] MIT News: Sipser’s Legacy: A Look Back at His Time as Head of Mathematics - https://news.mit.edu/2025/sipser-legacy-look-back-time-head-mathematics-0101
[4] Report to the President (2008): Department of Mathematics - https://web.mit.edu/math/documents/report-to-the-president-2008.pdf
- Michael Sipser, the new dean of MIT's School of Science, comes from a background in both mathematics and engineering, having earned degrees from Cornell University and the University of California at Berkeley.
- As a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Sipser brings a wealth of experience to his role as dean, having spent decades on MIT's campus as a faculty member in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
- Sipser's tenure as head of the Department of Mathematics saw a significant increase in undergraduate majors, a testament to his leadership in science education and self-development.
- During his time as head of the Department of Mathematics, Sipser worked on collaborative research initiatives and made contributions to computational complexity theory, a field relevant to both science and engineering.
- Sipser has received recognition for his teaching abilities, having been awarded the MIT Graduate Student Council Teaching Award and the School of Science Student Advising Award.
- The department's graduate program has benefited from Sipser's fundraising efforts, which have resulted in fellowships for first-year graduate students.
- Beyond his professional accomplishments, Sipser is a family man, living in Cambridge with his wife and two children, one a recent graduate of New York University and the other a high school junior.
- The general news has reported on Sipser's various awards and achievements, including the prestigious Wolf Prize in Mathematics.
- Following the conclusion of Sipser's tenure as head of the Department of Mathematics, Nergis Mavalvala took over as the Dean of MIT’s School of Science.
- The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, one of the many departments within MIT's School of Science, acknowledges the impact of Sipser's leadership on education and research, with Rebecca Saxe, an associate professor, playing a key role in his selection as dean.
