Cambridge, MA — April 17, 2026 — Harvard Kennedy School and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs today announced the establishment of the endowed Ashton B. Carter Visiting Professorship. The position will bring a distinguished visiting professor to campus each year at Harvard Kennedy School to advance teaching, research, and engagement at the intersection of technology, science, and global policy.
The visiting professorship honors the legacy of Ashton B. Carter, the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense, a longtime Harvard faculty member, and former Director of the Belfer Center, which served as his intellectual home for decades. Carter moved with unusual fluency between government, academia, and the private sector, shaping national security policy while maintaining a deep commitment to teaching and mentorship.
The fund was established through a collective effort of 88 donors. The campaign brought together a broad community of colleagues, students, and supporters shaped by Carter’s work and example. That approach Ash’s belief in institutions, in collaboration, and in the power of bringing people together in service of a larger purpose. The structure of the fund is a direct expression of those values.
“The structure of the Ashton B. Carter Visiting Professorship – being a visiting position with a changing incumbent each year – was crafted intentionally to reflect Ash and his broad-ranging area of expertise,” said Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center. “Ash believed that the most important insights come from bringing different forms of expertise into conversation with one another. This professorship will give our students, faculty, and staff opportunities to learn from a new scholar or practitioners each year about AI, biotechnology, quantum, defense, and other domains, helping ensure that our community is infused with new ideas in this rapidly changing environment.”
Each year, the Ashton B. Carter Visiting Professor will join Harvard Kennedy School for a defined term, bringing current, real-world experience into the classroom and into the policy conversation. This annual model reflects Carter’s belief that effective policy requires constant engagement with new ideas, new technologies, and new perspectives. By welcoming a rotating set of visiting professors across government, industry, science, and academia, the professorship ensures exposure to the range of expertise needed to navigate a rapidly changing global landscape.
“Ash believed that while we cannot stop the forces reshaping the world, we can shape how they are understood and governed. He believed learning should connect directly to the challenges people face,” said Stephanie Carter. “This visiting professorship carries that forward by bringing new voices and experiences into the classroom each year.”
The visiting professor will focus on issues that defined Carter’s career, including the relationship between technological change, scientific innovation, and global security. In residence, the visiting professor will teach, mentor students, and contribute to the intellectual life of the Kennedy School and the Belfer Center.
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs has launched an international search for the inaugural Ashton B. Carter Visiting Professor. The endowed position is open to leaders from government, academia, and industry whose work reflects Carter’s commitment to bridging disciplines and addressing complex global challenges.
More information about the position and application process is available here.
