Dear deans, directors and department heads,
I am excited to share that we are moving forward with the next phase of the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), enhancing both its mission and physical presence. As we have announced, DPI will have a headquarters in downtown Chicago and a facility at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), positioning us at the forefront of the future of computing.
This expanded vision will provide the University of Illinois System and the state of Illinois with a leadership position in the rapidly evolving frontier of computing while building on the success that DPI has already achieved in helping resolve industry and societal challenges through research, developing tech-workforce development starting with K-12 students, and serving as a gateway to Chicago and Illinois for partners from around the world.
The steering committee I appointed in November has provided recommendations for the future of DPI and a strategy to move forward. I am grateful for the committee’s time and dedication and, after delivering its recommendations, its work is complete.
Along with the steering committee’s recommendations, I have solicited and received input from a wide range of stakeholders. Taken together, this input guided our thinking on next steps for DPI.
Three key priorities emerged:
- Establishing a new governance structure: I have delegated the authority and responsibility for DPI’s operations and management to the chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Chancellor Robert Jones has appointed Dean Rashid Bashir of The Grainger College of Engineering as the interim principal officer overseeing this effort.
- Forming an implementation team: Chancellor Jones and I are charging an implementation team, with representation from each of our universities and the system, to develop and execute a comprehensive transition plan for DPI’s expansion. This team will be responsible for proposing an operational, financial and human resources framework to support DPI’s future growth. Dean Bashir will lead this implementation team.
- Securing a permanent home: We are actively working to identify a permanent location for DPI’s headquarters in downtown Chicago and to establish a formal DPI presence at IQMP. As the managing entity of IQMP, our strategic partnerships — with the state of Illinois, PsiQuantum, IBM, and others — position us at the forefront of the computing revolution, especially in the transformative field of quantum computing.
DPI will continue to drive economic growth and shared prosperity for the residents of Chicago, the state of Illinois and the global community. It will achieve this by advancing cutting-edge research in computing, translating discoveries into practical applications for industry and society, and preparing the next generation of talent for success in a digital era.
Expect more updates soon as the implementation phase takes shape.
Tim Killeen
President
University of Illinois System