Graduate/Professional Young Trustee finalist Rickard Stureborg, a final-year doctoral candidate in computer science, hopes to bring his diverse experiences and ability to bridge communities to the Board of Trustees.
“Duke is an amazing place of amazing people, but there are often institutional challenges that are tucked away from everyone, things that we don’t get to see or interact with a lot,” Stureborg said. “In interacting with those institutional issues, you learn so much so quickly. That’s why I’m interested in this role.”
Stureborg has worked, studied and lived in various countries, from Uganda to Chile. He believes this diverse background, along with the array of perspectives he has seen at Duke, would benefit the Board of Trustees.
Stureborg is originally from Sweden, but he attended high school in Indonesia before pursuing his B.S. in computer engineering at Northeastern University. He came to Duke hoping to partake in research in machine learning and artificial intelligence for social good.
One of Stureborg’s principal goals as a Young Trustee is to remedy the ongoing erosion of trust in U.S. institutions, which he believes is highlighted by political polarization. Stureborg believes in Duke’s ability to be a “world leader” in this field.
“I think that there’s a real opportunity to garner trust through collaboration. Duke has the opportunity to be one of the most transparent, community-focused [and]educated institutions in the world,” he said. “We could focus that education not just on the students that come here, but also on the broader community in Durham and globally.”
Stureborg has prioritized bridging the gap between undergraduates and graduates. At Duke, he mentored 14 undergraduates for an average of seven months each and was a teaching assistant for over 500 undergraduates in various courses.
“There’s very little collaboration between those two communities. I think I’m in a unique position in how much I’ve interacted with undergraduates and with postdocs” he said.
He also serves as the president of the Duke Advanced Degree Consulting Club, which has overseen more than 50 client engagement projects. As president, Stureborg was instrumental in growing the pro bono program, now a substantial element of the club’s focus.
He said his time at the DAAC has provided him with valuable leadership experience and allowed him to learn how to collaborate with fellow graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and alums alike.
Rick Presman, a fourth-year doctoral student in statistical science, is co-president of the DAAC with Stureborg. Presman described him as an “experienced and dedicated leader” who has been critical in enabling students to initiate their consulting journey and managing industry clients.
“In my time working with him, he has always been available to help — no matter how big or small the task — and always eager to experiment and innovate to create a space that is inclusive for students with diverse backgrounds,” Presman wrote in an email to The Chronicle.
Stureborg is also the treasurer for Duke’s Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG). In this role, he has familiarized himself with the processes of bureaucracy and collaboration at play in the Duke administration. He was notably involved in negotiating the recent doctoral stipend increase.
Given his advisory experience, Stureborg believes he is qualified for the position of Young Trustee. At Duke, he sits on the Advisory Committee for Investment Responsibility to President Vincent Price and the Strategic Engagement Committee for the Board of Trustees.
“I know I am able to meaningfully contribute to the types of discussions that the Board of Trustees has during these meetings because I’ve actually successfully done so,” he said.
Melissa Bostrom, assistant dean for graduate student professional development, wrote in an email that Stureborg has “developed his leadership skills as intentionally as he has applied himself to developing his research expertise as a Ph.D. student in computer science.” She further described Stureborg as a “student leader” who uses campus organizations to build community and develop professional skills.
“He would be an outstanding representative of the graduate and professional student community as Young Trustee,” Bostrom wrote.
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Kate Haver is a Trinity first-year and a university news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.