Michael D. Gordin Dean of the College

Dean’s Welcome

Princeton is an incredible place, bursting with intellectual energy and passionate commitment. This all stems from the people who are here, engaging with each other across apparent divides of disciplines, origins, and philosophies. One of the most amazing things about being here is that as the world changes, the constellation of conversations simultaneously deepens and expands. Being part of those discussions is a gift and a responsibility. Both are better when shared.

Princeton’s commitment to undergraduate education is central to all aspects of university life, with students working closely with distinguished faculty who care deeply about teaching. Together, we all contribute to an atmosphere where we do more than study and learn, but also build relationships and conversations. Those are educations in themselves.

Try something new. You never know what you might find out about yourself, about others, about the world. It won’t always be easy, but it is how you’ll discover what most interests you. Along the way, please don’t hesitate to ask questions or to express your concerns. We are always eager to hear from you.
With best wishes,

Michael Gordin

About Dean Gordin

Michael Gordin is the senior administrator responsible for Princeton’s undergraduate academic program. All matters relating to the curriculum, academic advising, academic regulations, and scholastic standing fall under him. Dean Gordin also oversees the Offices of Admission and Undergraduate Financial Aid, the Residential Colleges, the Office of International Programs, the Program in Teacher Preparation, the Princeton Writing Program, the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity, Health Professions Advising, the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship, and the Office of Undergraduate Research. The Council on Science and Technology also works closely with the Office of the Dean of the College.

Dean Gordin is the Rosengarten Professor of modern and contemporary history. He served for six years as the director of Princeton’s Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts and is associated faculty in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. He earned his PhD in the History of Science from Harvard University.  His research and teaching focus on the history of modern science, especially of the physical sciences and science in Central and Eastern Europe.

Among other books, he is the author of Scientific Babel: How Science Was Done before and after Global English, Einstein in BohemiaFive Days in August: How World War II Became a Nuclear War, and Pseudoscience: A Very Short Introduction. His books have been translated into Chinese, Czech, Estonian, German, Japanese, and Polish. He has received awards from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. In 2019 he was elected to the Leopoldina, the National Academy of Sciences of Germany.

Wish to see Dean Gordin?

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