David Hoffman Named Interim Director of Duke Science & Society

Duke University faculty member David Hoffman, Steed Family Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy, has been chosen to serve as interim director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society.

A Duke alumnus, Hoffman earned his J.D. at the Law School and was a member of the Duke Law Journal. Previously, he served as associate general counsel, director of security policy and global privacy officer for Intel Corporation.

Science & Society is among 11 university institutes, initiatives and centers that complement and amplify the widespread interdisciplinarity found in every school at Duke.

Hoffman begins serving as interim director on July 1, 2025, following the founding directorship of Nita Farahany, Robinson O. Everett Distinguished Professor of Law.

“As a former leader at Intel, a seasoned classroom interlocutor, a policy expert and a superlative leader of applied research teams, David Hoffman will bring a remarkable breadth of experience to Science & Society,” said Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies Edward Balleisen. He further expressed his gratitude to Farahany for leading the initiative since 2013. “Her keen leadership of Science & Society has helped to make Duke a nationally recognized place for cutting-edge scholarship on bioethics and the increasingly complex policy dilemmas posed by rapid advances in information technology,” Balleisen said.

The author of many papers and articles on cybersecurity and privacy, Hoffman has testified to Congress on these topics. He previously chaired the Civil Liberties and Privacy Panel for the Director’s Advisory Board for the U.S. National Security Agency and chairs the Board of the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to continue Professor Farahany’s incredible work within a structure that capitalizes on Duke’s interdisciplinary education and research strengths,” Hoffman said. “The initiative’s focus on applied ethics in science and technology provides critical tools for students to use to meet the challenges they will face as they enter careers in both the public and private sectors.”

Hoffman also founded and chairs the board for the Triangle Privacy Research Hub, which highlights and fosters cybersecurity and privacy academic research in North Carolina’s Research Triangle.

“I am grateful to Nita Farahany for making Duke Science & Society such a vital part of the university,” said Provost Alec Gallimore. “I’m confident that David Hoffman will build on Nita’s strong foundation to lead the initiative into its next chapter in continued alignment with Duke’s strategic priorities.”

The Duke Initiative for Science & Society’s mission is to advance the responsible use of science and technology for humanity through research, education, communication, democratic deliberation and policy engagement. The initiative runs the Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy program, offers numerous courses and programs for undergraduates, hosts the Duke Center on Risk, and leads a robust series of community engagement activities.

Hoffman has been involved with Science & Society since 2019. He is also an affiliate faculty member of the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy.