URBANA, Ill. (Chambana Today) — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has announced the appointment of Gene E. Robinson as the new executive director and chief executive officer of the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), signaling a new chapter for the Chicago-based research and innovation hub.
Robinson’s appointment, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, comes as The Grainger College of Engineering assumes leadership of DPI. The institute is positioned to strengthen Illinois’ role as a global center for next-generation technologies by connecting research, education, and entrepreneurship.
With a focus on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and the future of computing, DPI will work to identify key opportunities for applying AI across industries central to Chicago’s economy, including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and energy. The institute will also partner with companies to help them adopt and deploy these technologies at scale.
“DPI has a mandate to do something big in AI,” said Robinson. “When I think of this moment for AI, it seems analogous to the early days of the genomics revolution, which triggered the launch of the IGB. But AI is more like a tsunami, requiring a bold and comprehensive approach to harness its vast potential and ensure that it is used as a force for good across society. To get started, I look forward to listening and engaging with members of the DPI community, campus leaders and Chicago’s innovation and corporate ecosystem so we can together develop the vision and roadmap for DPI’s new chapter.”
Robinson currently serves as director of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, a role he has held since 2012, and holds a Swanlund Chair in entomology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A faculty member since 1989, he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a recipient of the Wolf Prize.
“We are excited to work with Governor Pritzker’s office and very thankful for their investment and support in this next phase of DPI. Gene is an exceptional leader and a very distinguished scholar who has a track record of advancing interdisciplinary research, building meaningful partnerships across academia, industry, and government and translating discovery into societal impact,” said Rashid Bashir, dean of The Grainger College of Engineering and vice chancellor of Chicago Strategic Partnerships. “His deep experience and vision align closely with our commitment to innovation, impact and improving the human condition. His commitment to collaboration and to building environments where people and ideas can thrive are values that align strongly with DPI’s mission and culture in Chicago.”
University leaders say Grainger Engineering’s long history of computing and engineering innovation, along with its sustained engagement in Chicago, makes it well suited to lead DPI as the institute expands its reach and impact across Illinois.
