Dr. Maria Klawe

Doctor of Science, honoris causa

For her distinguished scholarship and leadership as an academic administrator, her championing of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and her significant research contributions in the fields of mathematics and computer science, the university proudly confers upon Dr. Maria Klawe the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.

Dr. Klawe is the first female President of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, a position she has held since 2006. Previously she served as Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University in New Jersey, and Dean of Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Dr. Klawe received her PhD in mathematics from the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

She has received the 2014 Anita Borg Institute’s Women of Vision Award for  Leadership, and Fortune magazine has ranked Dr. Klawe as one of the world’s 50 greatest leaders.

Dr. Klawe is an inspiring public speaker, described as “fearless in her pursuit of closing the gender gap in technical education.” During her time at Harvey Mudd College, the number of female students majoring in computer science has risen from 10 per cent to 49 per cent.

She serves on the boards of the Alliance for Southern California Innovation and the non-profits, Math for America, Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and EdReports.org. Previously, she served as a member of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Selection Board and co-chaired the Scientific Advisory Board of the Simons Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.