Rising Professors: 2026

See the full list here.

Today, we're thrilled to announce Delta's first list of rising professors, highlighting current and incoming assistant professors that we consider to be truly exceptional.

Being a professor is one of the most difficult technical jobs on the planet. You need to set up your lab, teach students, deal with a research agenda, get funding, go to conferences, mentor students, and more.

Unlike being a researcher or engineer in industry, being a professor is an incredibly multi-faceted role, which makes it more difficult to assess.

Each person on this list spikes in a different area, but collectively they represent a set of individuals that are truly pushing the frontier of humanity forward.

We're honored to play a small role in recognizing these individuals. Please join us in congratulating Delta's Rising Professors of 2026!

This list reflects the collective judgment of the Delta Institute community. Nominations for future editions are open. If you have someone in mind, please let someone in our community know.