Kavita Bala, Cornell’s provost, brings both warmth and precision to every conversation. When you meet her, the first thing you notice is her smile, open and deeply kind. Beneath that warmth is a strong sense of purpose. She stepped into the provost role at a time of great change, when universities were adapting to new pressures and research funding was increasingly uncertain. She accepted the position for the challenge itself, not despite it.

We met on a cool fall day at Cornell, where she had been touring the new Computing and Information Science Building that she helped bring into being. As she walked through the space, she spoke about collaboration and the importance of creating places where disciplines meet and ideas mix freely. The building reflects her vision, one she began shaping years ago when she helped establish the Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, an initiative that connects computer science, information science, and statistics. Today it is one of the university’s most vital and forward-looking communities, a model for how technology and humanity can evolve together.

Before becoming provost, Bala was an internationally recognized researcher in computer graphics and computer vision. Her work explored how computers perceive light, color, and texture, making digital imagery more realistic and expressive. She has also become a thoughtful voice in the conversation about artificial intelligence, focusing on both its creative promise and its ethical responsibilities.

In person, Bala is engaging and fully present. She listens with care, asks exacting questions, and finds joy in her colleagues’ accomplishments. Her enthusiasm builds as she talks about the potential of AI to expand human creativity and understanding.

Kavita Bala’s leadership is grounded in curiosity, empathy, and a steady belief that progress in science and technology must always serve the human spirit.