Boston, Feb. 21 (Reuters): Harvard University president Lawrence Summers has resigned after a turbulent five years of leading the prestigious school.

In a statement on its website today, Harvard said Summers would conclude his tenure as president at the end of the 2005-06 academic year.

Summers, whose abrupt style has won praise and contempt, sparked controversy last year when he said innate differences between men and women may help explain why so few women work in the academic sciences.

The abrupt resignation of the arts and sciences dean William Kirby deepened opposition against Summers.