About President Kaler

Eric W. Kaler is the 11th president of Case Western Reserve University. He joined Case Western Reserve in July 2021 from the University of Minnesota, where he served as president from 2011-2019 and professor of chemical engineering and materials science from 2011-2021.

An accomplished chemical engineer and visionary university leader, President Kaler's career in higher education spans more than 40 years and includes leadership and faculty roles at premier public research universities. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for both his leadership in engineering and in higher education.

President Kaler has significant expertise in elevating research, expanding fundraising, forming collaborative partnerships, encouraging entrepreneurship and advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion. 

University Priorities

The university is guided by President Kaler's three priorities, which are to: 

• Elevate academic excellence. The university continues to attract highly talented and accomplished students at all levels. The undergraduate class of 2027 includes approximately 1,550 first-year students and 70 transfer students from a record pool of more than 39,000 applicants. These students have an average SAT score of 1465 and an average ACT score of 33. Among the key drivers for continued achievement among the university’s student body will be: successful completion of the search for a new provost and executive vice president during the 2023-24 academic year; implementation of a new undergraduate student advising and support structure and plans to provide enhanced research opportunities for students; and steady efforts to advance the university’s 160-plus renowned graduate and professional programs. 
• Expand the research enterprise. In the next few years, the university aims to increase annual research expenditures from its current $467 million to $600 million. Critical to this growth are efforts to improve efficiencies within the research enterprise and completion of the new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building. Construction on this $300 million research-only facility will begin in 2024 with expected completion in 2026, in time for the bicentennial celebration of the founding of Western Reserve University. 
• Enhance community engagement and impact. Since President Kaler’s arrival at Case Western Reserve, the university has worked to meet the residents of neighboring communities where they are and in ways that meet their needs. In 2024, the university expects to complete renovations and a programming plan for the Wade Park Community Engagement Center; continue to develop a plan for a Population and Community Health Initiative; and create a plan for pre-college programming for K-12 students attending Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the East Cleveland City School District.

Experience, Memberships and Education

President Kaler began his career in higher education as a research and teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his PhD in chemical engineering in 1982. He then joined the faculty at the University of Washington, where he was an assistant professor and associate professor of chemical engineering from 1982-1989. 

His first leadership positions followed at the University of Delaware, which he joined as an associate professor in 1991. While there he served as the chair of the chemical engineering department from 1996-2000 and dean of the College of Engineering from 2000-2007. He joined Stony Brook University in 2007 as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and professor of engineering and chemistry. He also served as the university’s vice president for Brookhaven Affairs from 2008-2011.

President Kaler holds 10 patents and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers. Currently, he serves as a member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, where he also co-chairs the Innovation and Growth Committee. 

In addition to election to the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Kaler is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society, the Neutron Scattering Society of America, and he was a member of the inaugural class of the National Academy of Inventors. 

President Kaler earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1978 from the California Institute of Technology. 

Family

Born in Vermont, Kaler is a first-generation college graduate. He credits his wife, Karen, as the major contributor to his success. Karen, a Tennessee native, is well known for her warmth, enthusiasm, and advocacy. The couple have been married since 1979 and have two adult sons, Charlie and Sam, daughters-in-law Lisa and Lizzy, granddaughter Ophelia, and a very large dog named Adelbert.