9/29/2025 Ashley Sims
Professor Harrison Kim, is serving as Program Director for the NSF’s Engineering Design and Systems Engineering (EDSE) program, where he helps guide national research priorities. In this role, he balances the challenge of limited funding with the excitement of supporting groundbreaking ideas in areas like AI, machine learning, and quantum computing. For Kim, the work is both demanding and deeply rewarding, driven by a passion for launching research that can change lives.
Written by Ashley Sims
For more than two decades, Professor Harrison Kim has been a cornerstone of the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering. Now, he has taken on a new challenge—one that extends his impact far beyond campus. As an Engineering Design and Systems Engineering (EDSE) program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Kim is helping shape the future of engineering design and systems research across the country.
When Professor Kim stepped into his role he knew it was more than just an administrative post — it was an opportunity to help shape the future of engineering research.
“The mission of NSF is to promote science and engineering, to lead innovation, to create new knowledge and to benefit the public,” Kim explained. “As a professor, I spent 20 years on the side of applying for funding. Now, I have the privilege to serve on the other side, ensuring the brightest ideas are supported.”
His role is a demanding one. The rate of project funding is very low, a statistic Kim admits is one of his greatest challenges. “I see so many brilliant, innovative ideas. In my ideal world, I’d fund many more.”
For Kim, the process of evaluating proposals comes down to two questions: intellectual merit and broader impact. “Every successful proposal demonstrates both strong scientific innovation and the potential to improve lives,” Kim explained. “That could mean designing innovative, more efficient complex systems such as aircraft and nuclear reactors, developing methods to mitigate natural disasters or advancing technologies that touch millions of people every day.”
Kim has also seen firsthand the cutting-edge directions research is moving. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing are among the most exciting areas of growth in proposals. He believes these technologies are pushing engineering design and systems research into a new era of discovery and application. “We’re only scratching the surface of what AI can do in engineering design. Combined with advances in computation, these tools open the door to entirely new ways of solving complex problems,” he noted.
Beyond the technical advances, Kim emphasizes the human impact of NSF support. He describes the joy of calling researchers whose proposals make it through the rigorous review process: “That’s the moment I love most. Knowing we are helping launch ideas that could change lives — that’s what makes the hard work worth it.”
This opportunity, he said, is both a professional honor and a personal calling. “I benefited greatly from NSF’s support throughout my career. Serving as Program Director is my way of giving back to the community. It’s a privilege to contribute to the future of engineering while working alongside such dedicated colleagues.”
Kim’s service also provides a valuable bridge between academia and government. As a faculty member in the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, he remains connected to his own research while guiding national priorities. He hopes more professors will consider such service: “It opens your eyes to how funding decisions are made and deepens your appreciation for the people who are truly dedicated to serving the public.”
For Kim, the experience has been transformative. He views it as an extraordinary opportunity for growth, collaboration and service. Few professors nationwide are chosen for such a role, making his appointment both prestigious and significant for the ISE department and the Illinois community.
The role is demanding, but the impact makes it worthwhile. “This is stressful work,” Kim admits with a smile, “but it is truly worth it. Knowing we are helping launch ideas that could change lives — that’s the moment I love most.”
Professor Harrison Kim is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor in the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering and is affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the Computational Science and Engineering Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.