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Hamsa Balakrishnan has been appointed as the associate dean of the MIT School of Engineering, effective August 1, 2024. She is a professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) and has made significant contributions to the field, particularly in the area of air transportation systems.
Her research interests are in the design, analysis, and implementation of control and optimization algorithms for large-scale cyber-physical infrastructures, with an emphasis on air transportation systems. These include airport congestion control algorithms, air traffic routing and airspace resource allocation methods, machine learning for weather forecasts and flight delay prediction, and methods to mitigate environmental impacts.
As associate dean, Balakrishnan will focus on efforts to attract, retain, and support top talent across all academic levels in the School of Engineering. She will help lead and shape various faculty-focused programs and will help manage many of the school’s student-facing programs and initiatives. Balakrishnan will also support both faculty and students across the school with regards to fellowships, awards, and honors.
“Professor Balakrishnan’s passion and dedication have already made a lasting impact on the School of Engineering. I am delighted to welcome her to the School of Engineering faculty leadership team,” says Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the School of Engineering.
As principal investigator of the Dynamics, Infrastructure Networks, and Mobility (DINaMo) group, Balakrishnan and her team research the modeling, analysis, control, and optimization of modern infrastructure systems. They have collaborated with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, and major airports to address challenges such as advanced air mobility, air traffic congestion, and airport operations.
Balakrishnan served as associate department head in AeroAstro from 2018 to 2021.
Apart from being named an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), she has also been awarded a Committed to Caring Award, the MIT AIAA Undergraduate Teaching Award, and the MIT AIAA Undergraduate Advising Award.
Balakrishnan received her bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology at Madras, and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University.
