University of Notre Dame Provost John T. McGreevy has appointed Kellogg Faculty Fellow Nitesh Chawla as faculty director for a University-wide strategic initiative focused on data, artificial intelligence, and computing, a final priority area identified in Notre Dame 2033: A Strategic Framework.
Chawla, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and founding director of the Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society, will lead the new effort focused on excelling in foundational research in these areas while enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world translation to address pressing societal challenges.
An expert in artificial intelligence, data science, and network science, Chawla is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. At Notre Dame, he holds concurrent faculty appointments in the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Science and the Department of Information Technology, Analytics, and Operations in the Mendoza College of Business. He also is a fellow of three other Keough School of Global Affairs institutes: the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, and the Pulte Institute for Global Development.
“Nitesh is a superb scholar and recognized leader in data science and AI, not only at Notre Dame, but globally,” McGreevy said. “As an experienced and collaborative administrator with a strong sense of purpose, he is well-positioned to help us better ‘think as an institution’ to advance our research, teaching, and engagement in these areas while making a meaningful contribution to the common good.”
Chawla will continue to lead the Lucy Institute during the 2025–26 academic year, and an internal search will begin to select a new director for a term beginning in July 2026.
Over the last two years, Notre Dame has launched University-wide initiatives on poverty, ethics, democracy, health and well-being (including mental health and bioengineering and life sciences), sustainability, and the arts, while expanding support for the humanities through the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good.
“The strategic initiatives are designed to facilitate thinking and acting as one institution in order to make the most meaningful contributions to questions of national and international concern as Notre Dame fulfills its mission to be a force for good in the world,” said David Go, vice president and associate provost for academic strategy. “We have an outstanding group of visionary leaders directing these efforts, and I’m excited to add Nitesh and Kathy to that list.”
Chawla has been appointed to a five-year term. Working closely with Go, he will form an executive committee that will include academic leaders and faculty experts to help shape and implement the Data, AI & Computing initiative in the coming years, including developing fruitful collaborations with the other strategic initiative areas.
Adapted from a story originally posted at strategicframework.nd.edu.