Welcoming Carlos Carvalho as the Next President of the University of Austin

It is my honor to announce that Dr. Carlos Carvalho has been chosen as the next president of the University of Austin.

When the UATX Board of Trustees reached its decision, I asked for the privilege of making this announcement myself—not only out of respect, but because I know Carlos well.

Carlos has been a strong ally of this project from its earliest days. In the fall of 2021, before we had a name, a building, or a single enrolled student, a small group of us gathered in a WeWork across the street from where our campus now stands. We were mapping out what this university could become.

Carlos was there. He was one of the first to help us, at a time when doing so required real courage.

For the past 15 years, Carlos has served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a Professor of Statistics at the McCombs School of Business and holds the La Quinta Centennial Professorship in Business. His scholarship spans Bayesian modeling, causal inference, policy evaluation, and applied work in finance, economics, and education. As a teacher and mentor, he believes that students are not vessels to be filled with dogma, but minds to be sharpened with disciplined thinking and exposure to fundamental questions of human life.

Carlos is also a builder. At UT-Austin, he founded and led the Salem Center for Policy, which became a lively forum for open inquiry and debate, often welcoming speakers and conversations that conventional institutions shy away from.

Carlos was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, and he sometimes speaks about how growing up amid political instability and ideological rigidity shaped his understanding of institutions and freedom. He learned early that strong civic frameworks, merit-based opportunity, and open inquiry are the very conditions of a flourishing democratic society.

These convictions—freedom of thought, open inquiry, and the pursuit of truth—are also the founding principles of UATX.

As we turn the page to a new chapter in the life of this university, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary journey that brought us here. Serving as the founding president of UATX has been the privilege of a lifetime. What began as an idea—bold, urgent, and radical—was made reality through the work of many hands. I am profoundly grateful for the faith and commitment of all of those who have made this endeavor their own.

As I step into the role of Chancellor, I will continue to represent the university to the world, helping to steward our vital mission, as we work towards restoring the promise of higher education.

As we continue this journey, I can think of no one more capable, principled, or prepared to lead us forward than Carlos Carvalho. I look forward to our work together.

Sincerely,

Pano Kanelos
Founding President
University of Austin