Andrew Sears, PhD, is Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and professor in the Department of Computer Science at WPI.
Building on more than 30 years of higher education experience, Sears brings a unique blend of technical expertise, administrative excellence, and collaborative leadership style to his role as the university's chief academic officer.
Immediately prior to joining WPI, Sears served as Professor and Dean of the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, where he focused on supporting interdisciplinary efforts that produced new academic programs and impactful scholarly activities. He also held leadership positions at Pennsylvania State University, where he was Professor and Dean of the College of Information Sciences and Technology. At Penn State, he worked with faculty and staff to grow programs to enhance the student experience; significantly increase external support for research; expand interdisciplinary collaborations through faculty hiring and partnerships; establish a multi-faceted faculty mentoring program; support efforts focused on entrepreneurship and innovation; and establish the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence.
Sears has extensive experience in research and innovation, and his scholarly activities are centered on human-computer interaction, mobile computing, and accessibility. His research has been supported by major agencies and corporations including the National Science Foundation, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and NASA, an indication of his ability to build strong partnerships between academic institutions and industry leaders.
Sears earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his PhD in computer science with an emphasis on human-computer interaction from the University of Maryland-College Park. A first-generation college student, he brings a deep personal understanding of the transformative power of higher education and is passionate about creating inclusive academic experiences that open doors for all students.
