Dear Members of the FAS Community,
It is with excitement and profound gratitude that I write to announce that David Deming, Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy at the Harvard Kennedy School, professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Faculty Dean of Kirkland House, will serve as the next Danoff Dean of Harvard College.
David is one of the nation’s leading scholars at the intersection of education, labor markets, and economic inequality. His work explores how education transforms lives—especially for low-income and first-generation students—and how public policy can expand opportunity and upward mobility. He is a principal investigator with the CLIMB Initiative at Opportunity Insights, a groundbreaking effort to understand which colleges drive intergenerational mobility—and how policymakers and institutions can amplify their impact. He also co-leads the Project on Workforce, a university-wide initiative linking Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education to explore how we prepare students for meaningful careers in a rapidly changing labor market.
Deming co-founded the Skills Lab, which develops innovative, performance-based assessments of “soft” skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making that are increasingly critical in today’s economy. His most recent work explores how the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence has affected jobs and the economy. His research blends rigorous economic analysis with a strong sense of purpose: to ensure that education systems work better for more people.
David’s connection to Harvard College began in 2018, when he taught a first-year seminar and began hosting informal dinners at his home with his wife, Janine Santimauro. In 2020, they became Faculty Deans of Kirkland House, where they have launched new initiatives, expanded community traditions, and fostered an inclusive, vibrant House environment. You’ll often find David, Janine, and their two daughters in the Kirkland dining hall or at house events, sharing meals and conversations with students.
David is also a seasoned academic leader. As Director of the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, he helped recruit top faculty and raise major gifts to support their work. During the pandemic, he quickly mobilized funding to support undergraduates with research assistantships, creating a student-faculty matching program in just weeks.
In 2021, David became Academic Dean of Harvard Kennedy School, overseeing faculty hiring, promotions, tenure, and research, and he worked closely with the Provost’s Office and peers across other Harvard Schools.
David was born and raised in Nashville, TN before moving to Shaker Heights, OH at age 15. He holds degrees in economics and political science from Ohio State University, a master’s from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School, and a Ph.D. from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the Harvard Kennedy School public policy program. After beginning his career at Carnegie Mellon, he joined Harvard as an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2011 and was promoted to full professor with tenure in 2016.
A recognized and respected expert in higher education research and policy, an inspiring academic leader, and a beloved faculty dean with a deep, authentic connection to undergraduate life, David is uniquely well suited to lead the College at this consequential moment in Harvard’s history.
Please join me in celebrating David’s appointment. I’m excited for the vision, energy, and heart he will bring to this role—and to Harvard College.
Best,
Hopi
For more information, please see this Harvard Gazette article.
Hopi Hoekstra
Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
C. Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences
Xiaomeng Tong and Yu Chen Professor of Life Sciences