Dr. Thomas Reardon Elected to Columbia University Board of Trustees

The Columbia University Board of Trustees today announced the election of Dr. Thomas Reardon (GS’08, GSAS’13, GSAS’16) to the board, effective September 8, 2026.

Reardon is a computational neuroscientist, technologist, and entrepreneur whose career has spanned the development of the modern web, fundamental neuroscience research, artificial intelligence, and the emerging frontier of neural interfaces and human-computer interaction. He is the CEO and co-founder of Flourish, a startup developing energy-efficient artificial intelligence, and a venture partner at Lux Capital, where he helps create and build new companies and provides strategic insight across a range of emerging technologies.

“Columbia has played an extraordinary role in my life and career,” said Reardon. “I am honored to join the Board of Trustees at a consequential moment, when universities are being asked to think deeply about how they fulfill their missions, contribute to society, and prepare for a world being reshaped by rapid technological and scientific change. Columbia has both an opportunity and a responsibility to push the boundaries of knowledge, embrace new technologies and new ways of thinking, and ensure that discovery and innovation continue to serve society well. I am excited to contribute to that work and continue to give back to a University and community that has given me so much.”

Reardon’s appointment brings to the board a distinctive combination of experience in academic research, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship, as well as a deep connection to Columbia as both an alumnus and scientist. After an early career in the technology industry, Reardon enrolled at Columbia’s School of General Studies, earning his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in literature and classical languages. He subsequently earned a master’s degree in neurobiology from Duke University before returning to Columbia, where he received an MPhil and PhD in Neuroscience and Behavior.

While at Columbia, Reardon, who uses his surname as his given name, conducted research focused on developing and improving tools to map, monitor, and manipulate neural circuits. His work brought together experimental neuroscience, computational methods, and new approaches to analyzing neural activity, reflecting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to scientific discovery.

“We are delighted to welcome Reardon to Columbia’s Board of Trustees,” said Abigail Black Elbaum (CC’92, BUS’94) and Jeh Johnson (LAW’82), co-chairs of the Board of Trustees. “He brings a rare combination of experience as a scientist, technologist, entrepreneur, and Columbia alumnus. His perspectives will be enormously valuable to the board as we work with President Mnookin to continue to strengthen Columbia’s academic and research mission.”

In his early career, Reardon played a significant role in the development of the modern web. At Microsoft, he initiated the Internet Explorer project and later served as a founding board member of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), contributing to the development and adoption of open standards that helped shape the web. He subsequently served as chief technology officer of Openwave, where he worked on the development of early mobile web browsers. He also teamed up with fellow Columbia neuroscientists to co-found CTRL-labs, aimed at developing non-invasive neural interfaces. In 2019, CTRL-labs was acquired by Meta, where Reardon served as vice president for research, culminating in a landmark 2025 Nature article and the release of the Meta Neural Band. He holds numerous U.S. patents and has published scientific research in leading journals including Science, Nature Neuroscience, and Neuron.

“Reardon has built a remarkable career by pursuing ambitious questions across the boundaries of science and technology,” said Jennifer L. Mnookin, president of Columbia University. “His own journey at Columbia reflects the intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and willingness to explore new directions that we want to foster in our students and scholars. His experience will be an important asset as we find new ways to create the conditions necessary on our campuses for new ideas and discoveries to flourish. I am delighted to welcome him to the board and look forward to working with him.”

Reardon has long supported Columbia and a wide range of initiatives to support student access and excellence in research. He currently serves on the boards of the School of General Studies (GS) and the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. In 2001, he delivered the keynote address at the GS Honor Society induction ceremony and gave the GS Class Day address in 2012. In 2026, Reardon was honored with the Columbia Alumni Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the Columbia Alumni Association, in recognition of his distinguished service to the University.

Reardon and his wife, Xan Young, a fellow Columbia alum, are the parents of four children.