“Duke can be a world leader”: Introducing Rickard Sterborg, Graduate/Professional Young Trustee Finalist

Graduate/Professional Young Director finalist Rickard Stureborg is a final year doctoral candidate in computer science who hopes to bring his diverse experience and ability to build community bridges to the Board. Masu.

“Duke is a great place with great people, but institutional challenges are often hidden from everyone and we don’t see or interact with them as much,” Stuereborg said. “You learn so much quickly when you work on these systemic issues. That’s why I’m interested in this role.”

Streborg has worked, studied and lived in countries ranging from Uganda to Chile. He believes this diverse background and the different perspectives he has seen at Duke will benefit the Board.

Stureborg is originally from Sweden, but attended high school in Indonesia before earning a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Northeastern University. He came to Duke University because he wanted to participate in research in machine learning and artificial intelligence for social work.

One of Mr. Stureborg’s main goals as a young director is to redress the continuing decline in trust in American institutions highlighted by political polarization. Stureborg believes in Duke’s ability to become a “world leader” in this field.

“I think there is a real opportunity to earn trust through collaboration. Duke has an opportunity to be the most transparent, community-focused company. [and]to educational institutions around the world. ” he said. “We can focus that education not just on the students who come here, but on the broader community in Durham and around the world.”

Professor Stureborg has made it a priority to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate students. At Duke University, he served as a teaching assistant for over 500 undergraduates in various courses, supervising 14 undergraduates for an average of seven months each.

“There’s very little collaboration between these two communities. I think I’m in a unique position in how much I’ve interacted with undergraduates and postdocs,” he said.

Mr. Stureborg is also the treasurer of the Duke University Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG). In this role, he is familiar with the bureaucracy and collaborative processes in place in the Duke administration. He was particularly involved in recent negotiations to increase Ph.D.

Mr. Stureborg believes that given his advisory experience, he is well qualified for the position of Junior Director. At Duke University, he serves on President Vincent Price’s Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility and the Board of Trustees’ Strategic Engagement Committee.

“I know that I can meaningfully contribute to the types of discussions the board has during these meetings because I have done it successfully in practice,” he said.

Melissa Bostrom, associate dean for graduate student professional development, said in an email that Stuereborg “developed his leadership skills as intentionally as he focused on developing his research expertise as a doctoral student.” I wrote. I’m a computer science student. ” She further described Stureborg as a “student leader” who uses campus organizations to build community and develop professional skills.

“He will be an outstanding representative of the graduate and professional student community as a young trustee,” Bostrom wrote.