Theresa Mayer, PhD

Theresa S Mayer is the Vice President for Research at Carnegie Mellon University, supporting the research, creativity and entrepreneurship that drives its mission and working with partners across the public and private sectors to bring the benefits of this work to all of society.

Prior to Carnegie Mellon University, Mayer served in executive positions at Purdue University and Virginia Tech, where she played leading roles in enhancing cutting-edge research, building strategic partnerships and stimulating economic development. Previously, she was a distinguished professor of electrical engineering at Penn State University, where she served as the associate dean for research in engineering and the site director for the NSF National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network.

She is widely recognized for her research and translation in scalable manufacturing of nanoscale electronic, optical, and biomedical devices, supported by NSF, DOD, DOE, NIH and industry. She is co-author of over 350 refereed publications and 12 issued patents and is an elected fellow of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Mayer has been honored with excellence in teaching and research awards, has served in professional society leadership, and on national and international advisory boards, including the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, PCAST.

Mayer has been an active advocate for the critical role that science, technology and innovation play in driving economic prosperity and security both nationally and globally through her testimonies before the US House of Representatives Science, Space and Technology Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, and her service on boards such as the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance, National Defense Industry Association, and others.

Mayer earned her BS in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and her MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.