President
Auburn University
Christopher B. Roberts began his appointment as Auburn University’s 21st president in May 2022.
President Roberts leads the university’s four divisions, including Auburn’s main campus with its more than 31,000 students and 5,500 faculty and staff, as well as Auburn University at Montgomery, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, a joint enterprise with Alabama A&M University. Roberts is an accomplished scholar who understands that research and teaching excellence, together with service and public engagement, are at the very heart of the state’s R1 land-, sea- and space-grant institution. As the university’s CEO, he marshals the institution’s $1.54 billion annual budget and vast resources, while spearheading the university’s strategic vision and advancing Auburn’s ever-growing research enterprise and economic development.
Prior to his presidency, Roberts served as dean of Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering from 2012 to 2022. Responsible for the overall direction, scope and mission of the college, Roberts set the college on course to be the best student-centered engineering experience in the country. With more than 5,000 undergraduate and 900 graduate students, the college cultivated an environment that puts an emphasis on fundamentals, hands-on engineering and a strong work ethic that sets Auburn Engineering graduates apart.
Roberts was a factor in the success of the university’s recently completed $1.2 billion campaign – with $247 million raised for engineering — which will further Roberts’ vision of becoming a Top 20 public engineering institution.
The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering has more than 180 faculty with $85 million in annual research expenditures committed to the development of new engineering solutions, concepts, and processes. Strategic areas of research include advanced manufacturing; infrastructure and transportation; cybersecurity and intelligent systems; energy and environment; engineered materials and nanotechnology; and biomedical engineering. The college is one of four universities
