Jungsang Kim on Leading Duke Science and Technology into a New Era

Jungsang Kim has spent more than two decades at Duke University pushing the boundaries of science and engineering and translating breakthroughs into new ventures—most notably as co‑founder of IonQ, a publicly traded quantum computing company. Now, as Duke’s first chief science and technology strategist for the provost, the Schiciano Family Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics is helping chart the university’s research future.

In this Q&A, Kim discusses the next chapter for Duke Science and Technology (DST): how Duke can amplify the global impact of its scholarship, shape the evolution of cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and create a new model for collaboration between academia, industry and society.

How do you describe your role as chief science and technology strategist?

My goal is to help Duke think differently about how research and education generate impact. We already do outstanding science, but the pace at which discoveries move from labs to society is accelerating. From my experience in quantum computing, I’ve seen how something that was basic science 20 years ago can now drive an entire industry. I want to create new ways for Duke to engage with that momentum, especially by working more effectively with the private sector so our knowledge and our graduates make a bigger difference in the world.

How did this new position come about?

The role didn’t exist before. After stepping back from my entrepreneurial work, I asked myself how I could contribute to Duke at a broader level. Through conversations with Provost Alec Gallimore and other leaders, we realized there was an opportunity to add a new mode of operation: a way to explore new partnerships and models that cut across schools. I operate as a connector among faculty, deans and external partners to pilot new efforts that can scale across Duke.

How is Duke Science and Technology evolving?

The first phase was about people—recruiting and retaining top researchers—and it succeeded. The question now is what we do now that we’ve accumulated all this talent. DST 2.0 focuses on creating high‑impact, collaborative programs that link those scientists and engineers with real societal needs. Over the next five years, I aim to test a few different “business models” for research—approaches that combine federal grants, philanthropy and private‑sector investments and partnerships to develop efforts at a much larger scale that creates outsized impact.

Why is it important to partner with the private sector?

Federal funding remains essential for discovery, but there’s very few mechanisms for public support once projects grow beyond the traditional center‑scale grant model. Private investment through companies, venture capital and philanthropy can operate on a scale orders of magnitude larger, as its impact can reach well beyond scientific progress and publications. Those partners care about outsized impact and how technology changes lives. If we can clearly connect our research to societal benefit and show credible execution, we can attract the necessary resources to take a shot at tackling those. That’s something universities need to figure out how to do effectively.

How does AI fit into the vision for DST 2.0?

AI is not a passing trend. It will transform everything from health care to education. We’re exploring how to train students to lead in that environment and how Duke’s knowledge can help define the responsible use of AI. Just as the internet and smartphones reshaped daily life in the past two decades, AI will change how people work, learn and interact. Duke has the opportunity and responsibility to help guide that transformation.

What distinguishes Duke’s approach from other universities working on similar technologies?

Our strength is interdisciplinarity. When technology begins to affect billions of people, it stops being only a technical issue. It becomes social, ethical and legal as well. Duke brings together engineers, clinicians, ethicists, business scholars and social scientists in a natural way. That culture positions us to lead conversations about how new technologies should serve society, not just how to build them.

What lessons have you taken from building IonQ that apply to a university setting?

Entrepreneurship taught me how to build vision for a bold future, communicate beyond the scientific community, build credible and effective plans, and execute fearlessly to make it happen. In grant proposals seeking federal funding, we mostly speak to peers who are experts in our field and care about novelty; investors and industry partners care about how the solutions transform daily life. Both perspectives are valuable. Universities need to bridge them so discoveries don’t stop at research papers but become tangible advances that improve peoples’ lives.

How are you working to build momentum around these ideas at Duke?

In the last year, we held dedicated science and technology sessions at each Board of Trustees meeting, where some of these new models of operation are presented using concrete example activities at Duke. Those discussions help align the vision from faculty teams with university leadership and alumni who can open doors in philanthropy and industry. Every meeting is a chance to refine concrete, compelling models of research engagement that show Duke’s distinctive role.

How would you sum up your vision in one idea?

If Duke can create and lead the transformation of society around new technologies in the next decade, we will be the top university in the world. That’s the mission of DST 2.0.