Eric James Barron (born October 26, 1951) is an American academic administrator who was the 18th president of Pennsylvania State University from 2014 until 2022.

[1] He previously was the 14th president of Florida State University and director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

[3] In 1986, Barron was named a faculty member at Pennsylvania State University in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, becoming the dean until leaving Penn State in 2006, to become dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

[7] In February 2021, Barron indicated to the Penn State Board of Trustees his intent to retire at the end of his contract, in June 2022.

[9] During his presidency, one of Barron's focuses was attempting to transform the Greek life system at Penn State following the death of Tim Piazza.