When Rajesh K. Gupta, the newly appointed Dean of the School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences (SCIDS), reflects on the future and leadership of this institution, his thoughts are not focused solely on administrative duties. Instead, he thinks deeply about how to steer a completely new emerging discipline in a way that will bring tangible benefits to students, faculty, and society as a whole. His vision goes beyond traditional academic frameworks, striving to create synergy between technology and humanistic values.

The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) made a historic leap by establishing this school in 2024. SCIDS is not just another component of the university; it represents a strategic merger of two extremely powerful institutions: the rapidly growing Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI) and the long-standing San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). While HDSI is already established as a leader in data education and research, SDSC enjoys status as a global leader in the operationalization of data science, high-performance computing, and accelerated computing.

The founding of SCIDS marks a quantum leap in the leadership HDSI already possesses in advanced areas of artificial intelligence (AI), but also in training a new generation of talent ready for professions enabled and transformed by artificial intelligence. Just today, December 5, 2025, we spoke with Gupta, a distinguished professor at the Jacobs School of Engineering, founding director of HDSI, and the man who led SCIDS as interim dean from its inception until his permanent appointment. In this extensive interview, Gupta reveals his vision for the school and the key role it will play in integrating AI solutions into everyday life.

A New Paradigm: SCIDS as the Home of a Holistic Discipline

When asked what vision lies behind the founding of the School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences, Gupta offers a perspective that redefines the concept of academic organization. SCIDS represents the next generation of thinking focused on three key aspects: how data affects life, how knowledge is extracted from that data, and finally, how that knowledge drives concrete action.

"This is the first time we are thinking about a new discipline in a completely holistic way," explains Gupta. Instead of functioning as an isolated island, this new field is defined precisely by its inclusivity and intersection with multiple areas. Gupta uses the vivid metaphor of a diamond to explain this concept. The new discipline is like a diamond with many facets that include philosophy, natural sciences, biology, medicine, and engineering. When you "cut" that diamond, all those facets interact with other disciplines, creating something entirely new.

The essence is not just in the application of data to other areas, but in the fundamental improvement of those areas. The question arises: How can philosophy be better practiced when informed by data science? How does engineering become more efficient and precise thanks to data? This symbiosis creates a new discipline that builds on existing foundations but simultaneously transforms and elevates them to a new level.

Two Key Mandates for the Future

Although it is clear that we are witnessing the emergence of a new discipline, no one can predict with certainty every step of its evolution. We do not know exactly which societal areas will experience the greatest impact nor where we will see the most radical technological progress. However, Gupta highlights two clear mandates that guide the school through this uncertainty.

The first mandate is the ambition to steer the evolution of this discipline constructively. The goal is not just to observe changes, but to actively participate in shaping the ethical, practical, and theoretical frameworks that will define the future of data and computing. The second mandate is to ensure that UC San Diego becomes the number one destination for talent in this field. This refers to attracting top professors and researchers who push the boundaries of science, but also attracting students who will become the leaders of tomorrow through courses and programs. These two missions form the backbone of all activities and organizational structures within SCIDS.

The Relationship between SCIDS, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence

The design of SCIDS is conceived as an academic home for a new generation of science and engineering, with a special emphasis on the way these disciplines touch people and society. In today's world, this inevitably requires the advancement and implementation of artificial intelligence. Gupta provides a fascinating historical context to explain the current moment we are in.

Traditionally, the world of knowledge was divided into two very different and often separate universes. On one side were science and mathematics – the world of numbers and quantitative fields. On the other side were arts and humanities – the world of words, text, and qualitative analysis. that division seemed insurmountable until about twenty years ago, when a fundamental shift occurred leading to the birth of modern data science.

Computing machines became so powerful that they managed to cross the boundary of the world of numbers and enter the world of text in meaningful ways. They became much more than mere numerical tools. Gupta cites a simple but powerful example: "Today I can give a thick document to a computing machine and ask: 'Give me the four main points this report makes.' And the machine can actually do that."

This phenomenon means that the world of numbers has found itself in the midst of the world of text, and the world of text in the midst of the world of numbers. This is a new incarnation of artificial intelligence, whose advances have dramatically accelerated in the last seven or eight years. Although we are still in the early stages of this evolution, it is already affecting every single business, profession, and domain of knowledge. SCIDS positions itself right at the center of that transformation.

Redefining the Modern University through Three Pillars

SCIDS is not only changing the curriculum; the school is reshaping the very idea of what a modern university should look like and how it should function. We live in times when practical experience has become crucial even for entry-level jobs for students who are just graduating. Reflecting on talent needs, the school's leadership asked key questions: What kind of jobs will students perform after graduation? What kind of education and training should be provided to benefit them throughout their lives?

In response to these challenges, SCIDS is built on three solid pillars that support its mission.

First Pillar: Operationalization and Translational Academia

The first pillar represents the operational arm of the school which includes the so-called "translational academia". This refers to academics who are deeply aware of practical needs and application outcomes. The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) has been operationalizing advances in computing, supercomputing, and data science for decades by designing and building systems that benefit practitioners in domains such as natural sciences, healthcare, and other areas.

The vision for the future of SDSC within the new school is for it to drive the emergence of a translational academic branch that pushes scientific and technological advances led by research professors. These advances will not remain locked in laboratories; they will be encapsulated as learning components in training programs, ensuring that students learn on state-of-the-art systems and solve real problems.

Second Pillar: Accessible Learning and "Stackable" Degrees

The second pillar relates to extraordinarily accessible learning and training opportunities that the school offers. SCIDS will not only offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies in person, but also via various platforms adapted to the modern lifestyle. The school is open to talent from all social strata and from the most diverse locations.

Flexibility is the keyword. If a person does not want to or cannot leave their job to further their education, SCIDS offers online programs or weekend programs. Certificates are being introduced as well as "stackable" degree programs. The term "stackable" here means instruction that naturally builds up in constructing academic credentials. For example, a doctorate can sometimes be built upon a master's degree earned "along the way", allowing students to adapt the pace and scope of education to their career goals and life circumstances.

Third Pillar: National and International Presence

The third pillar focuses on expanding influence beyond the physical boundaries of the campus. Academic organizations are built on finding and cultivating exceptional talent. Online and remotely available courses allow the school to discover such talent anywhere in the world. These remote offerings can become a magnet that attracts people to UC San Diego.

Gupta emphasizes the desire to see compelling talent from all walks of life, people with the creative spark needed for progress in the emerging fields of data science and computing. The democratization of access to top-tier education is not just an altruistic goal, but a strategic move to enrich the school's intellectual capital.

Personal Motivation and Leadership Challenges

What personally attracted Rajesh K. Gupta to take the lead of this school and shape a new discipline? In an academic career, opportunities to witness – and even rarer to influence – the growth of a completely new discipline are rare. For Gupta, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. "What attracts me here is the opportunity to shape a discipline and build a world-class talent pool that will push civilization forward," he says. "I cannot imagine anything more consequential for the academic mission."

The growth of UC San Diego in the last 25 years has been impressive, jumping from about 20,000 students to more than 45,000, with projections going even over 50,000 in the future. That physical growth, visible to the naked eye, must naturally be accompanied by the intellectual and academic growth of the campus. SCIDS is an integral part of that growth, positioning itself as an engine of innovation.

However, the path is not without obstacles. Higher education in the United States currently faces multiple challenges, from evolving academic culture to complex economic pressures. In such an environment, thinking about how to develop an academic enterprise is inherently challenging. However, Gupta views these difficulties as a catalyst for change.

This "difficult environment" for building a new school is simultaneously a time that offers a unique opportunity to reinvent the university's relationship with industry, society, and its own students. It is a chance to build a new school that provides real value and creates new intellectual academic products, rather than relying on outdated models.

A Look into the Future: Technology in the Service of Humanity

The integration of the San Diego Supercomputer Center with the academic power of HDSI creates a unique platform where theory and practice meet in real time. While the world grapples with questions of AI ethics, data privacy, and workplace automation, SCIDS positions itself as a place where these questions are not only asked but also answered through rigorous research and practical application.

Through Gupta's leadership, it is clear that the goal is not just technological superiority, but a human-centric approach to technology. Understanding data as a "diamond" that reflects and refracts light through the prism of humanities ensures that the engineers of the future will not just be technicians, but thinkers aware of the impact of their creations on the fabric of society.

The establishment and development of the School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences at UC San Diego represents a bold step towards the future of education. With a focus on interdisciplinarity, accessibility, and practical application, SCIDS under the leadership of Rajesh K. Gupta sets new standards for what it means to be a leading academic institution in the 21st century. As technology continues to rapidly change the world around us, institutions like this one will be key in ensuring that these changes go to the benefit of all humanity.