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UC San Diego names Rajesh K. Gupta as founding dean of SCIDS

He will lead interdisciplinary research in AI, computing, and data science.

Rajesh K. Gupta / UC San Diego

The University of California (UC) San Diego has appointed Indian-American computer scientist Rajesh K. Gupta as the founding dean of its newly established School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences (SCIDS). 

Gupta will lead SCIDS in advancing interdisciplinary research, expanding academic programs, fostering industry and global partnerships, the University said in a statement. 

Also read: UConn names Kumar Venkitanarayanan interim CAHNR dean

Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla praised Gupta’s long-standing impact on the university’s data science ecosystem, particularly through his leadership as founding director of the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI). 

“I look forward to seeing Rajesh’s impact on advancing our research enterprise and driving groundbreaking discoveries, and am confident that he is the ideal candidate to lead SCIDS into the future,” Khosla said. 

SCIDS brings together more than 50 faculty across 16 disciplines and approximately 8,000 students, offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs focused on data science and AI. The school integrates the strengths of both HDSI and the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), a national hub for high-performance computing and scientific breakthroughs since the 1980s.

Gupta envisions SCIDS as “a new kind of academic enterprise,” where interdisciplinary collaboration drives real-world impact. He plans to expand the school’s global and industry partnerships, building on HDSI’s initiatives like the International Fintech Institute in GIFT City, India.

“We’re creating a hub where research, education and real-world impact converge — shaping not only the future of data, computing, and AI, but the role a university can play in the age of pervasive intelligence,” said Gupta.

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Gupta holds advanced degrees from UC Berkeley and Stanford University. He is a fellow of IEEE, ACM, and AAAS, and has held leadership roles in academia and research initiatives funded by NSF and DARPA. 

Formed in 2024, SCIDS is UC San Diego’s 12th school and the fourth launched in the 21st century. It aims to become a leading force in artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and computing research and education.

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