This week on StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos speaks with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill President Lee Roberts to discuss their ambitious plans to make AI the university's north star during a tumultuous year.
Roberts details his decision to combine UNC's Department of Data Science and Sociology with the Department of Information and Library Science, and explains why breaking down academic silos is essential as technology advances faster than at a typical university. He talked about the $38 million in federal research grants that have been discontinued, concentrated in areas such as public health, and why he is less concerned about funding cuts than he was at the beginning of the year. Roberts also defended his $10 million annual promise to Bill Belichick despite the team's rocky start, explaining why football revenue is essential to supporting UNC's 2028 athletic program.
StrictlyVC Download posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts to get alerts when new episodes drop.