Sorbonne University selected Nathalie Drach-Temam as its president in 2021, marking the first time in nearly a thousand years that a woman has led the institution. Born in France in 1966, she has built an extensive career spanning computer science and academic administration, transitioning from microprocessor research to overseeing the strategic direction of one of the world's most historic universities.
Academic and Research Background
Drach-Temam earned her doctorate in computer science at the University of Rennes in 1994 under the supervision of André Seznec, focusing her thesis on microprocessor pipeline optimization. Her early career included research and teaching appointments at the University of Rennes, the University of Paris-Sud, and INRIA. In 2004, she joined the faculty at Pierre and Marie Curie University, which later merged to become part of Sorbonne University. Her primary research specialization involved the design of computer processors, and she held positions at the Laboratoire de recherche en informatique from 1994 to 2003 and the Laboratoire d'Informatique de Paris 6 between 2004 and 2021.
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Before assuming the presidency, Drach-Temam served in several administrative roles at Sorbonne University, acting as vice president from 2018 to 2021 and previously from 2012 to 2017. Upon her election as president in 2021, she navigated complex institutional challenges, including the management of controversial topics such as Brexit. During her tenure, she supported an initiative proposed by student Bernaud Rigaud to add the names of 72 women to the Eiffel Tower to complement the existing list of male honourees. This project was subsequently championed by the Mayor of Paris and the organization Femmes et Sciences.
Policy Shifts and Recent Initiatives
In June 2025, ahead of her re-election for a second four-year term, Drach-Temam proposed a restructuring of Sorbonne University, a move that faced criticism from segments of the institution. Following her re-election later that year, she announced in October 2025 that the university would cease participating in Times Higher Education rankings. She characterized these methodologies as opaque, commercial black boxes that lacked transparency. In June 2026, she traveled to Cotonou, Benin, to renew a partnership with the Sèmè City Institute of Technology and Innovation, formalizing a five-year agreement to facilitate the exchange of staff, students, and research.
Fast facts
- Born: 1966, France
- PhD: University of Rennes, 1994
- President of Sorbonne University: 2021-present
- Officer of the Legion of Honour: 2025
- Knight of the Legion of Honour: 2015
- Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy: 2025
Questions readers ask
What was Nathalie Drach-Temam's doctoral research focus?
Her doctoral dissertation, completed in 1994 at the University of Rennes, focused on pipeline optimization in microprocessors.
Why did Sorbonne University withdraw from Times Higher Education rankings?
Drach-Temam criticized the rankings for using methodologies that were not transparent, reproducible, or subject to questioning, describing them as commercial black boxes.
Achievements
- Held posts at Sorbonne University, Laboratoire de recherche en informatique and Laboratoire d'Informatique de Paris 6
- Fields: computer science
