New Trustee: Dr. Eric Schmidt
Caltech is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Eric Schmidt, KBE, Chair and CEO of Relativity Space, to the Caltech Board of Trustees, the governing body of the Institute.
A distinguished technologist, business leader, and philanthropist, he is best known for guiding Google's transformation from a startup into one of the world's most influential companies during his tenure as CEO and Chairman from 2001 to 2011. Under his leadership, alongside Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the company dramatically scaled its infrastructure and diversified its products, while maintaining a strong culture of innovation. Eric founded the Special Competitive Studies Project in 2021, a non-profit initiative focused on strengthening America's long-term AI and technological competitiveness in national security, the economy, and society. Schmidt chaired the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Board from 2016-2020 and later served as chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, advising government leaders on innovation, artificial intelligence, and national-security priorities.
Most recently in 2024, Eric and his wife Wendy co-founded Schmidt Sciences, a nonprofit organization working to advance science and technology that deepens human understanding of the natural world and develops solutions to global issues. He has written several acclaimed books, including his latest New York Times bestseller titled Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit (2024), co-written with the late Dr. Henry Kissinger and Craig Mundie, and is among the most prominent voices on technology, AI, business, and philanthropy.
A longtime supporter of scientific research and innovation, Schmidt has maintained deep ties to Caltech through philanthropy, research initiatives, and academic engagement. Schmidt co-instructs the E/SEC 103: Management of Technology course at Caltech for students interested in learning how rapidly evolving technologies are harnessed to produce useful products. In May 2022, Eric Schmidt co-hosted An Insider's Visit to Palomar Observatory, and in July 2025, he co-hosted the Schmidt Science Fellows Interdisciplinary Science Summit in Pasadena. His appointment brings extensive experience spanning technology, science, higher education, philanthropy, and public service to the Board.
Schmidt earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and an MS and PhD in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.