Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) announced it will award honorary degrees in engineering to Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, and R. J. Scaringe, ‘05, founder and CEO of Rivian.

Su, who was recognized by Time Magazine in January as CEO of the Year, transformed AMD into a leading high performance and advanced computing company. She is also one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in AI. Sue is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the Global Semiconductor Association’s Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award and the Grace Hopper Technical Leadership Abie Award. The IEEE recognized her with the highest semiconductor honor, the Robert N. Noyce Medal. Dr. Su is vice chair of the board of directors for the Semiconductor Industry Association and is on the Department of Homeland Security’s Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board. She earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering at MIT.

As a pioneer in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and business, RPI is proud to honor Dr. Sue’s groundbreaking work in these fields.

RJ Scaringe founded Rivian, which develops and manufactures electric vehicles for the consumer and commercial markets, in 2009 to help accelerate the shift toward carbon neutrality. His strategic vision and leadership in vertically integrated technology platforms and multi-program manufacturing capabilities made Rivian’s IPO the largest worldwide in 2021 and the 12th largest in history. Their first consumer product, the R1T, was named MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year for 2022. Scaringe has also placed one percent of Rivian’s equity into Forever, a philanthropic organization dedicated to addressing the climate crisis, making nature itself a stakeholder in the company. He earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from RPI in 2005 and a Ph.D. in mechanical Engineering from MIT in 2009.

RPI helped shape modern transportation and infrastructure, and is pleased to welcome Scaringe, who is transforming these fields again, back to his alma mater.

“RPI was founded more than 200 years ago for the application of science to the common purposes of life, and Lisa Su and RJ Scaringe embody that mission,” said Martin A. Schmidt ’81, Ph.D., president of RPI. “We look forward to celebrating our 219th Commencement with them and hearing their insights at Colloquy.” RPI will host its 219th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 10, at 8:30 a.m. at the East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV) stadium. A live stream of the ceremony will be available for guests who cannot attend.

The Commencement Colloquy serves as a forum for discussions among leaders and influencers with diverse perspectives on global challenges. President Schmidt will host a discussion with the honorands on Friday, May 9, at 3:30 p.m. in the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC).