degree in electrical engineering from the City College of New York in 1960, Kahn went on to Princeton University where he earned a M.A.

At Princeton, he was advised by Bede Liu and completed a doctoral dissertation titled "Some problems in the sampling and modulation of signals.

[13] After thirteen years with DARPA, Kahn left to found the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) in 1986, and as of 2022[update] remains its chairman, CEO and president.

In 1981, Bob Kahn was elevated to the grade of IEEE fellow for original work in packet switching mobile radio telecommunications technology.

He was inducted as a Fellow of the Computer History Museum in 2006 "for pioneering technical contributions to internetworking and for leadership in the application of networks to scientific research.

[22] In 2013, Kahn was one of five Internet and Web pioneers awarded the inaugural Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.

[23] Kahn received the 2024 IEEE Medal of Honor for "pioneering technical and leadership contributions in packet communication technologies and foundations of the Internet.

In 2012, he was also recognized as honorary doctor of Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics.