CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The president of MIT, L. Rafael Reif, says he will be stepping down as the leader of the world-renowned institution.
Reif’s departure will take place at the end of 2022.
“Reif has guided the Institute through a decade of dynamic growth, greatly enhancing its global stature and magnetism. Under his watch, MIT evolved into one of the world’s most potent engines of innovation and embarked on pathbreaking efforts to redefine both online education and the field of computing,” according to a post from the MIT News Office.
“Thanks to the exceptional efforts and impact of the people of MIT in research, education, and innovation, the Institute consistently ranks among the very top universities in the world,” Reif wrote in a letter to the MIT community announcing his plans. “We can all be proud of these collective achievements; I am thankful to everyone whose creativity, vision, and hard work made them possible. I will always be grateful for the pleasure and privilege of working with such a tremendous range of people whose talents, judgment, and character I respect and admire.”
He has been at MIT since 1980, when he joined the faculty as an assistant professor of electrical engineering, according to the MIT News Office.
Reif plans to take a sabbatical and then return to MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
In a letter to the MIT community, Reif said that staying on through December will allow time for MIT to conduct a search for MIT’s 18th president and will smooth the transition to a new administration.
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