arXiv welcomes inaugural CEO and Board of Directors

We have exciting news to share today: the appointment of Dr. Penelope Lewis as arXiv’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer and the establishment of our Board of Directors.

If you’ve been following arXiv’s transition to an independent nonprofit organization, these leadership appointments mark a significant step in our journey. Having a CEO and Board in place strengthens our governance, sustainability, and capacity to serve the global research community for generations to come.

For more than three decades, arXiv has enabled rapid and open sharing of scientific research. It has operated largely on the support and dedication of its staff, moderators, volunteers, members, funders, and, for the past 25 years, the institutional backing of Cornell. As the scale, reach, and importance of the platform have grown, so too has the need for more formal leadership and governance structures that support long-term sustainability.

The appointment of the first CEO and creation of an international governing board reflect our commitment to maintaining arXiv as a trusted, community-centered resource while preparing for future opportunities and evolution.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Penelope Lewis as arXiv’s inaugural CEO, effective August 17, 2026.

Dr. Lewis is a scientist by training, holding a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Penn State University, a B.S. in Chemistry from Indiana University, and completing post-doctoral work at Columbia University. She brings to the role nearly 20 years of leadership in scholarly publishing and communication in mission-driven, nonprofit scientific organizations, most recently as Chief Publishing Officer at AIP Publishing, a subsidiary of the American Institute of Physics. At AIP Publishing, she led a comprehensive transformation of the organization’s publishing program, revitalizing the publication portfolio and restoring sustained growth while advancing open access, operational excellence, research integrity, and global engagement. Prior to that, Dr. Lewis held editorial and strategy leadership roles in the Publications Division at the American Chemical Society. Throughout her career, her leadership has been characterized by a strategic, collaborative approach that brings together diverse stakeholders around a shared vision.

Dr. Lewis’ scientific background is foundational to her longstanding commitment to supporting the research communities that are critical to advancing the scientific research enterprise. For Dr. Lewis, arXiv’s appeal is that it was created by researchers, for researchers to solve a clear need: rapid and unfettered access to scientific research results on a global scale. While the research and publishing landscape has changed dramatically in the 35 years since arXiv was introduced, the need for rapid distribution, access, validation, and curation of research reports persists and is more important than ever. Dr. Lewis aims to evolve arXiv to meet the challenges it is facing – the rise of AI-generated preprints, modernization of the underlying technology, and a fast-growing and increasingly global user base, among others, – while preserving its mission and the trust of the community it supports.

“I am excited and honored to join arXiv at such a significant time for the organization and for scientific research communication more broadly,” said Dr. Lewis. “arXiv has been a vital resource for researchers for over three decades, a testament to both its value and the dedication of the team and volunteers who have sustained it. While its move to independence will have its challenges, we have an opportunity to work with its community to build an even brighter future for arXiv.”

“I’m thrilled about Penelope Lewis’ appointment as arXiv’s inaugural CEO. Her deep credibility in scholarly publishing, steady leadership through change, and collaborative approach are qualities that matter enormously in a community-driven organization like arXiv,” said Dr. Tracy Teal, CEO of openRxiv and member of the arXiv CEO search committee. “I’ve already seen how she builds trust across stakeholders and brings clarity to strategy and decision-making, and I’m excited for openRxiv to continue working with arXiv under her leadership to advance preprints and new ways of sharing science.”

Ramin Zabih, former arXiv Executive Director and Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University, said, “I am delighted that Penelope Lewis will guide arXiv through its next stage of development. Her credentials as a research scientist, combined with her extensive background in non-profit scientific publishing, make her uniquely qualified for this critical position. arXiv’s diverse community of stakeholders will benefit greatly from her empathetic leadership.”

arXiv is also pleased to introduce arXiv’s inaugural Board of Directors. The Board brings together leaders from research, higher education, and scholarly communications who share a commitment to open science and community stewardship.

● Hiroaki Aihara, Provost and Executive Vice President, University of Tokyo
● Atish Dabholkar, Professor, Director, Abdus Salam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
● Greg Gabadadze, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Simons Foundation
● Greg Morrisett, the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost, Cornell Tech
● Ivan Oransky, Special Advisor, Scientific Publishing, Simons Foundation
● Licia Verde, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) Professor, University of Barcelona
● Michael Weissman, Executive Director, Finance and Business Operations, Cornell Tech
● Elaine L. Westbrooks, Carl A. Kroch University Librarian and Vice Provost, Cornell University

Greg Morrisett, former Steward of arXiv at Cornell and the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost, Cornell Tech, described the Board’s role, “to provide strategic guidance, ensure strong governance, help steward resources responsibly, and support arXiv’s long-term mission.”

Ivan Oransky, special advisor for scientific publishing at the Simons Foundation, a longtime supporter of arXiv, noted that the international representation on the Board reflects the importance of arXiv as a “global, community-driven resource.”

Looking ahead, our priorities remain grounded in arXiv’s mission. We will continue to focus on providing a trusted, open platform for sharing research while investing in the infrastructure, governance, and partnerships needed to support the next generation of scientific discovery.

None of this would be possible without the researchers, moderators, institutional members, funders, advisors, and supporters who have helped shape arXiv over the years.

We are deeply grateful for the ongoing trust in and support of arXiv from the community and look forward to writing the next chapter together.