Rockefeller Taps Rodin

Rodin

Former president of the University of Pennsylvania and APS Fellow Judith Rodin has been named president of the Rockefeller Foundation, one of the world’s oldest and largest private philanthropies.

“I am deeply honored to be given this opportunity to lead an organization committed to using knowledge-based initiatives to improve the lives of poor and excluded people throughout the world,” Rodin said. “Over the years, the Rockefeller Foundation has used its resources effectively to develop groundbreaking initiatives designed to address some of the world’s most pressing problems by focusing on the root cause of social ills.”

Rodin stepped down as Penn president in June after more than a decade of service. She is credited with leading Penn through a period of remarkable growth and development that transformed its academic core and redefined its relationship to the surrounding community. Under her leadership, Penn doubled its research funding, established new interdisciplinary institutes and degree programs, and expanded its international programs and collaborations.

Rodin is a pioneer in the study of the biological bases of social behavior. Prior to becoming president of Penn, she served as provost of Yale University, where she was also professor of psychology. Rodin earned her PhD in psychology from Columbia University. In 1970, she joined the faculty of New York University as an assistant professor of psychology and in 1972 moved to Yale where she was named a full professor in 1979. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences.

Established in 1913, the Rockefeller Foundation works to expand opportunities for the poor by providing grants to help eradicate poverty and hunger, minimize the burden of disease, improve employment opportunities, increase the availability and quality of housing and schools, and encourage artistic and cultural expression.