Jim Pfaendtner Selected as Next NC State Provost

North Carolina State University has named Jim Pfaendtner as executive vice chancellor and provost effective May 11, 2026.

A nationally recognized leader and scholar in engineering education and research, Pfaendtner most recently served as the Louis Martin-Vega Dean of Engineering at NC State. As NC State’s chief academic officer, he will be responsible for helping to shape the institution’s academic mission.

“I’m so pleased to have Jim join our executive leadership team,” said NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell. “During his tenure, we have seen the College of Engineering make incredible steps to fulfill the legislatively driven Engineering North Carolina’s Future initiative and to enhance the college’s national and global reputation for excellence in research, education and outreach. His experience in advancing interdisciplinary research and cultivating academic excellence is exactly what NC State needs as we honor our land-grant mission and look to the future of economic development and investment in North Carolina.”

As dean, Pfaendtner led one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive colleges of engineering, comprising more than 12,500 students and 750 faculty and staff. He has overseen the college’s significant expansion while maintaining high levels of student and faculty success. He also launched the college’s Applied AI in Engineering and Computer Science initiative, with new classes for students, faculty scholarly fellowships and research accelerators.

Pfaendtner has demonstrated a strong commitment to faculty success, supporting recruitment, retention and professional advancement while fostering a collaborative environment across the college that empowers faculty to excel in teaching, research and industry engagement. In the past year, the College of Engineering was home to 10 National Science Foundation CAREER Award winners.

An advocate for student well-being, belonging and mental health resources, Pfaendtner has worked to destigmatize mental illness and expand access to wellness resources for students, faculty and staff. He also maintains a special focus on expanding access to a high-quality education and strengthening pathways to student success.

“At a land-grant institution, our mission is to expand opportunity, serve our communities and tackle real-world challenges,” said Pfaendtner. “That work is powered by our faculty and staff and comes to life through the success of our students. As provost, I’m committed to strengthening and supporting impactful research and ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute. When we do that well, we deliver on the full promise of NC State.”

Prior to his role as dean at NC State, Pfaendtner served as the University of Washington’s first associate vice provost for research computing as well as the Connie and Steve Rogel Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. In these roles, he helped shape institutional strategy in high-performance and data-driven research, led academic programs and advanced research initiatives. While at the University of Washington, he received the university’s highest teaching honor, the Distinguished Teaching Award.

He has been recognized with the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, as an elected member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Computational Molecular Science Impact Award.

Pfaendtner earned his B.S. in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Northwestern University.

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