ASU appoints Sean Dudley to research CIO role as AI and quantum work expands

The new Enterprise Technology role will connect ASU’s research infrastructure with AI-driven discovery, quantum initiatives, digital science platforms, and community partnerships.

Arizona State University has appointed Sean Dudley as Deputy Chief Information Officer for Research, creating a senior technology role focused on research infrastructure, AI-driven discovery, quantum technologies, and digital science platforms.

Dudley joins ASU Enterprise Technology after serving as Chief Research Information Officer and Associate Vice President at ASU Knowledge Enterprise. He has worked at the university for more than 20 years and founded ASU’s Research Technology Office, which operates across the university’s campuses.

The appointment comes as universities place more focus on the technology systems, data infrastructure, and partnerships needed to support research at scale. At ASU, Dudley’s remit will include research grants, tribal science education collaboration, and large-scale interdisciplinary work with ASU Knowledge Enterprise and ASU Health.

Research technology role moves into Enterprise Technology

Dudley’s appointment brings ASU’s research technology work closer to its central Enterprise Technology function. The move follows his involvement in the multimillion-dollar technology donation from Intel that supported ASU’s AI Research Platform and expanded the university’s AI research capacity.

Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer at ASU, shared the appointment on LinkedIn and wrote that Dudley would join Technology at ASU as Deputy CIO for Research. Gonick said ASU is “committed to co-designing and co-leading large-scale interdisciplinary work in collaboration with ASU Knowledge Enterprise and ASU Health.”

ASU says Dudley will also work with Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, former Director of the National Science Foundation and now University Professor of Technology and Innovation at ASU, on regional and international AI and quantum technology initiatives.

Dudley says: “I’m excited to bring the lens of research into the heart of Enterprise Technology.”

AI and quantum initiatives form part of the remit

The new role is positioned around ASU’s capacity to support next-generation research. That includes AI-driven discovery, quantum technologies, and digital science platforms, as universities look to make research computing, data, and AI infrastructure part of broader institutional strategy.

Gonick says: “This role marks a significant milestone for our team and strengthens our connection to ASU’s research and discovery initiatives. We look forward to Sean’s leadership and expansion in research opportunities across ASU, Arizona and the nation.”

Dudley will join ASU Enterprise Technology’s executive leadership team under Gonick, alongside Kyle Bowen, Kimberly Clark, Lester Godsey, and John Rome.

In a separate LinkedIn post, Dudley wrote that he was “deeply grateful to Lev Gonick, a close partner and advisor for many years, for bringing me into the fold through this new role.” He added that after 20 years at ASU, the role gives him “a vantage point for continuing to advance our research enterprise while operating in a greater capacity to develop strategies that serve the needs and interests of our many local, regional, and broader community partners.”

Partnerships shape research strategy

Dudley’s past work at ASU includes creating the Research Technology Office and developing technology services for faculty, administrators, and research teams across the university. His LinkedIn profile also points to work on high-performance computing strategy, research systems, information security, web development, training, and enterprise research administration tools.

The appointment also points to the growing overlap between research technology, AI infrastructure, workforce development, and university partnerships. In the ASU announcement, Dudley says: “We don’t typically try to solve for things within the walls of the university alone. We look to see how big the problem is and rally to and engage with it at that scale through our partnerships.”

ASU says Dudley’s role will support collaboration across the university and with regional and international partners.