David Deming named Harvard College dean 

David Deming — Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy at Harvard Kennedy School, professor of education and economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and faculty dean of Kirkland House — was named Danoff Dean of Harvard College on Tuesday. He begins in his new role July 1. 

In announcing the appointment, Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra said: “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.” 

“David is a stellar researcher, a great educator, a beloved faculty dean, and a role model to students and faculty alike,” said Harvard President Alan M. Garber. “His work on education and social mobility, and much else, gets to core questions in education, and I have benefited greatly from his expertise and his ability to distill the key implications of his research. I am excited that he has agreed to take on this critical role for the College and the University, as he shapes the experiences of generations of undergraduates.” 

Deming is a nationally recognized scholar at the intersection of education, labor markets, and economic inequality. He is a principal investigator with the CLIMB Initiative at Opportunity Insights, which studies how higher education drives social mobility and how policymakers and institutions can amplify that impact. He also co-leads the Project on Workforce, a cross-Harvard initiative that focuses on preparing students for meaningful careers in a rapidly changing labor market. In addition, Deming co-founded the Skills Lab, which creates performance-based measures of “soft” skills, such as teamwork and decision-making. His most recent work explores how the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence has affected jobs and the economy. 

Deming’s “work explores how education transforms lives, especially for low-income and first-generation students, and how public policy can expand opportunity and upward mobility,” said Hoekstra in a message to the FAS community. “His research blends rigorous economic analysis with a strong sense of purpose: to ensure that education systems work better for more people.”  

“David embodies the many virtues and traits needed in a great Harvard College Dean,” said Claudia Goldin, Henry Lee professor of Economics, who co-authored research with Deming when he was a graduate student and is a long-time colleague. “He is a caring and committed colleague; an empathetic friend, teacher, and father; and a gifted communicator.

“David has been a leader in labor market research on the roles of social skills and teamwork. His most recent work reveals how generative AI is impacting education and employment and explores the similarities of this technological disruption to those of the past. David exemplifies veritas as a person and as a researcher.” 

Deming began teaching in Harvard College in 2018. He and his wife, Janine Santimauro, became faculty deans of Kirkland House in 2020. During their five years of leadership, Deming and Santimauro have transformed the Kirkland community, fostering connection and camaraderie through intramural sports; “Kirkland Teaches Kirkland,” where students share their senior theses with the House community; and new student-initiated traditions like “The Choosening,” a Sunday night ceremony to announce and celebrate a House-wide theme for the week.  

“As a faculty dean, I’ve loved getting to know our students outside the classroom and contributing to their academic and personal development,” said Deming. “While our current moment brings many challenges, I believe deeply in the intellectual rigor and transformative power of a Harvard College education and experience. I am honored to become the next dean and excited to work with Dean Hoekstra and Harvard leadership as we chart a path forward.” 

Deming has held multiple leadership roles during his time at Harvard, serving as director of the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Kennedy School and later becoming the School’s academic dean, a position he held until 2024.

Born in Nashville, Deming moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio, when he was 15. He holds degrees in economics and political science from Ohio State University, a master’s degree from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the HKS policy program. After beginning his career at Carnegie Mellon, he joined Harvard as an assistant professor at HGSE in 2011 and was promoted to full professor with tenure in 2016. 

In 2022, Deming won the Sherwin Rosen Prize for outstanding contributions to labor economics. In 2018, he was awarded the David N. Kershaw Prize for distinguished contributions to the field of public policy and management under the age of 40. He has written columns for The New York Times and The Atlantic and is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Deming succeeds Rakesh Khurana, Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership Development at Harvard Business School and a professor of sociology in the FAS, who is stepping down as dean at the end of the academic year, following 11 years of service to Harvard College.