Hello fellow alumni and friends,

As another school year passes and we welcome the Duke Engineering Class of 2026 to the alumni ranks, it’s a great time to reflect on the past year at Pratt. From the development team’s perspective, we were coming off a record 2025 that saw nearly $50 million raised. While we don’t yet know where this year will wrap up, landmark gifts naming the Pierre R. Lamond Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the capstone gift for our Clark Scholars program mean we will celebrate more than $80 million in total support for our beloved engineering school. The past two years leave us feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for each and every member of the Duke Engineering family who helped make this happen!

With that sense of gratitude in mind, I wanted to take a moment this spring to recognize a few members of our team. In a profession where the average staff tenure is only around three years, I’m especially grateful for the foundation of our team who have dedicated decades of hard work to Duke Engineering. 

First and foremost, the legend himself, Judge Carr has been writing thank you letters, birthday cards, and caring for Pratt alumni and friends for 36 years. When he first returned to Duke Engineering in 1990, the school raised less than $1 million per year. Judge built the foundation for the Duke Engineering we know today. If you find yourself on campus, be sure and stop by Judge’s office and ask for a $2 bill from his pocket. 

Any recognition of Judge is incomplete without also sharing gratitude for Pam Hanson. Pam has devoted much more than half her life to Pratt through her 31 years of service. For those who know Pam well, I challenge you to not smile when you see or think of her. Her energy and unparallelled ability to get things done supports each and every one of us in the Pratt community.

While Judge and Pam are more household names, I also want to recognize Kirsten Shaw and Kim Davis, who have been working in their roles on the development team for 20 and 25 years, respectively. Their work may happen more behind the scenes than Judge’s and Pam’s, but they have been just as instrumental in shaping the school we are today.

Thank you to all in the Duke Engineering family who support the school and for those familiar names and faces who have dedicated their careers to this wonderful place. 

Cheers,

Jim Ruth E'01
Senior Associate Dean and Director of Development & Alumni Affairs
Duke Pratt School of Engineering

The Pratt School of Engineering Board of Visitors gathered in Durham this spring for a dynamic weekend of engagement, bringing together alumni and industry leaders to connect with faculty, students, and university leadership while helping shape Pratt’s future.

Dean Jerry Lynch opened the meeting with updates on the school’s continued momentum across research, faculty growth, and student success. The program highlighted Duke’s leadership in emerging technologies, alongside strategic discussions on biomedical engineering and a fireside chat with President Vincent Price on the university’s priorities and global impact.

Board members engaged directly with students and faculty throughout the weekend, including a visit to the Christensen Family Center for Innovation Product Lab Demo Day, where student-led projects demonstrated the path from idea to real-world application. On Saturday, Professor Jungsang Kim shared updates from the Duke Quantum Center, offering insight into the future of quantum research and its implications for computing and national competitiveness.

Committee sessions advanced priorities across innovation, entrepreneurship, student experience, and financial growth, reinforcing the Board’s commitment to strengthening Duke Engineering and supporting the next generation of leaders.

Faculty leaders highlighted the approval of the new Institute for AI Engineering and a new undergraduate co-major in AI Engineering—an important step in positioning Duke at the forefront of preparing engineers to lead in an AI-driven world.

The Engineering Alumni Council (EAC) also convened during the weekend, continuing its strong engagement with students and programs across Pratt. EAC members connected with more than 28 student groups to evaluate and fund projects, supporting initiatives ranging from global competitions to community-based engineering work. Their mentorship and investment ensure students gain hands-on experience while feeling the direct support of the Duke Engineering alumni network.

The EAC also hosted one of the school’s most cherished traditions: the Engineering Alumni Awards Banquet. This year’s honorees included:

Together, these honorees reflect the extraordinary breadth and impact of the Duke Engineering community—from entrepreneurship and education to research and global health.

In early 2026, Duke Engineering announced a landmark gift from the Lamond family, naming the department the Pierre R. Lamond Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Together with donor challenges, the $57 million commitment will have a significant impact on students at all levels, strengthening the department’s educational foundation while accelerating its rise in research and academic distinction.

The gift establishes a new Presidential Distinguished Chair and supports seven endowed faculty chairs and seven Ph.D. fellowships, advancing work in semiconductors, nanoelectronics, and computing. It will also expand hands-on learning opportunities from innovative undergraduate courses and project-based experiences to enhanced graduate training and industry connections.

Together, these investments position Duke to shape the next era of computing technologies while creating new opportunities across the ECE community.

This spring, Duke Engineering launched a pilot Pratt Alumni Office Hours program, creating weekly opportunities for students to connect one-on-one with alumni for candid career conversations. Held in person throughout the semester, the program engaged 89 students on topics such as resumes, networking, internships, job searches, and career decision-making—often leading to follow-up conversations and expanded alumni connections.

The program’s success was made possible by founding alumni Bruce Faulkner (E’90), Danal Blessis (E’82), and Bob Willett (E’76), along with additional volunteers Brenda Beauchamp (E’86), Greg Lissy (E’93), and Bob Wescott (E’90), whose insights and mentorship created meaningful and lasting impact for students.

Building on this momentum, Duke Engineering is seeking additional alumni volunteers. What’s expected: participate in a two-hour, in-person session (typically once per semester or year); meet one-on-one with students; share career insights; review resumes or interview strategies; and offer practical advice based on your experience. No formal preparation is required—just a willingness to engage, listen, and support students as they explore career paths.

Because sessions are in person, local alumni are especially encouraged to participate.

Interested in getting involved? 

Hudson Hall has long been the heart of Pratt—but many of its labs and spaces remain largely unchanged since the 1990s, limiting what our students and faculty can achieve. To fully support 21st-century engineering, transformation is essential.

Hudson’s iconic façade will remain, but our vision reimagines Hudson as a light-filled hub of innovation with open labs, a connecting atrium, and redefined indoor and outdoor spaces designed to spark collaboration. Experiential labs, maker spaces, and a modern computing hub will position Duke at the forefront of AI and its intersection with medicine and society.

Judge Carr committed one of the first gifts for Hudson by naming the student services lounge that will greet visitors when they first walk in.*

With close to $21 million already committed toward our goal of $25 million by June 30, 2026, momentum is strong—but we need your partnership to bring this vision to life. Construction is set to begin in late 2027, and we need everyone’s support to realize our overall fundraising goal of $75 million by the time Hudson opens its doors again. 

Tom Harrington has generously named the new café in Hudson, which will affectionately be known as “Tommy’s Café.”*

*All naming opportunities are subject to formal approval by the Board of Trustees prior to the building dedication.

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