Mohammad H. Qayoumi

Mohammad H. Qayoumi

Mohammad H. Qayoumi is an engineer and professor who currently serves as the Chief Adviser on Infrastructure and Technology to the President of Afghanistan. He previously served as President of San José State University where he was appointed on March 23, 2011. Prior to that, he served as the fourth president of California State University, East Bay. He has worked in university administration for more than 30 years and has a background in both engineering and business. Born near Kabul, Afghanistan, Qayoumi is the first person of Afghan descent to head a major U.S. university.

Qayoumi earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from American University of Beirut in 1975. He holds four degrees from the University of Cincinnati: a Master of Science in nuclear engineering (1979), a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering (1980), an MBA (1984), and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering (1983).