Date: November 11, 2022
TO: The NYU Center for Data Science Community
FROM: NYU President Andrew Hamilton and Interim Provost Gigi Dopico

Earlier this semester, Julia Kempe, director of NYU’s Center for Data Science since 2018, came to us to discuss her plans to step down as the director of CDS at the end of the current academic year and then return to the faculty following a research leave.   
 
Julia joined NYU as CDS’ director following two decades of experience in both academia and data-driven industry. That experience—plus her vision, drive, and know-how—enabled her to greatly improve, strengthen, and grow CDS. Under her leadership, we have recruited extraordinarily talented scientists in a diverse set of domains, more than doubling the core faculty; extended CDS’ footprint in its home at 60 5th Ave; expanded the Data Science PhD program enormously (including the addition of a medical PhD track); doubled the size of the MS program; and designed and launched an extraordinarily successful undergraduate program that after three years has nearly 800 declared majors and minors. And in line with our University’s values, she has made diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority, attracting cohorts for MS degrees that have a balanced ratio of female and male students and establishing the undergraduate Center for Data Science Undergraduate Research Program.
 
In achieving all these accomplishments, Julia has enhanced NYU’s prominence as a leader in data science research and education across a range of rapidly evolving fields, and has fostered highly productive connections across NYU’s schools and centers, including the Grossman School of Medicine.  
 
In short, at a time when data science has emerged as a crucial field, Julia has helped ensure that NYU is recognized as a vital, vibrant, and influential center of scholarship and education.
 
We ask you to join us in thanking Julia Kempe for her excellent service as director. We also want to express our gratitude to her for providing us with such a long lead time before she steps down; we will be back in touch about next steps.