Sethuraman Panchanathan is an Indian-American scientist, engineer, and academic. He is known for his contributions to the fields of computer science, engineering, and education. Panchanathan served as the 15th director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States from June 2020 to June 2023. Prior to his role at the NSF, Panchanathan held various academic positions, including serving as the executive vice president of Knowledge Enterprise Development and the chief research and innovation officer at Arizona State University (ASU). He played a significant role in advancing ASU's research and innovation initiatives, focusing on interdisciplinary collaborations, entrepreneurship, and the translation of research into real-world impact.