What Leadership Means to Pratt Dean Jerome Lynch

A Q&A from Faculty Advancement

Photo of Dean Lynch

This is a summary of a Q&A that originally appeared on Duke Faculty Advancement.

When Jerome Lynch talks about leadership, he keeps coming back to a single word: purpose.

Since becoming Vinik Dean of Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering in 2022, Lynch has grounded his decisions in a clear sense of why the work matters.

Trained as a civil engineer, he sees his profession as a powerful force. “Civil engineering is a unique field because it is the one field of engineering that is about creating public goods like infrastructure that ensure our quality of life and economic well-being,” he said.

That sense of purpose, Lynch believes, is what separates effective leaders from busy ones.

Like many new leaders, he arrived with energy and ideas, eager to move quickly. Over time, he realized that leadership is less a sprint than a marathon, and he needed to slow down to avoid burnout. “(It) will tire out members of your leadership team … The key is to find that equilibrium point that allows you to be ambitious and aggressive, but at a pace that ensures your team remains enthusiastic and committed.”

Lynch relies on a trusted network of peer deans and senior university leaders, values the perspective of a leadership coach, and makes time to read extensively about leadership and higher education trends. Together, these practices help him stay thoughtful and adaptable in a role that requires strategic vision and daily decision-making.

What has surprised him most is how much joy the role brings. “The students here at Duke are absolutely incredible in almost every way — I love their enthusiasm and how they think about their own purpose (there is that concept of purpose again!) as young aspiring professionals,” he says.

When not working, Lynch enjoys baseball, whether watching a Durham Bulls game or catching a Yankees game with family.

To read the full interview, go to Duke Faculty Advancement.