IETF | New IRTF Chair Dirk Kutscher: Advancing Global Collaboration and Innovation in Internet Research

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In October 2026, the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) held a two-day workshop in Prague with people who are deploying post-quantum authentication. These are the first impressions from the co-chairs, ahead of the full workshop report.
Email is the oldest widely used application on the Internet, but it continues to evolve. At IETF 127 four working groups will meet to improve the security and usability of mail, and two Birds-of-a-Feather sessions propose improvements in mail operations and the way users sign up for mail subscriptions.
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These IETF 127 meeting sessions are likely to include discussions and proposals that are accessible to a broad range of Internet technologists whether they are new to the IETF or long-time participants.
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The IETF Blog recently chatted with new Internet Research Task Force chair Dirk Kutscher about his views of where the IRTF is now and what the path ahead looks like.
This is an edited version of that conversation.
Q: IETF Blog: What motivated you to take on the chair role now?
The IRTF is a truly exceptional organization that plays a crucial role in shaping the evolution of the Internet by exploring new concepts, technologies, and application areas. It offers academic and industry researchers the opportunity to make significant contributions beyond traditional publications – fostering collaborations that develop innovative technologies, prototypes, experimental specifications, and open-source implementations. Drawing on my experience in both academia and industry research, I am committed to advancing research that makes a real difference, and I see the IRTF as the premier global forum for applied networked systems research.
Q: IETF Blog: How does your position at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou): HKUST(GZ) relate to—or inform—your role as IRTF Chair?
HKUST(GZ) is a new type of research university that is questioning traditional forms of academic research and education. It is focused on cutting-edge research with high applicability to societal and industrial challenges. To that end, we emphasize cross-disciplinary research, education, and collaboration to a very high extent. I am personally working with colleagues from fields such as AI, Robotics, Microelectronics, and Fintech – each of which are leading researchers in their respective field.
At HKUST(GZ), we integrate rigorous academic inquiry with impactful real-world applications, a dual approach that I believe is essential for successful Internet research and corresponds to my goals for the IRTF. The notion of international collaborative research for a greater good—the development of the Internet —is also very inspiring to our students, so I am hoping to be able to make contributions to innovating our teaching with my new role, too.
While the IRTF Chair role involves significant responsibility and time, I am deeply grateful for the strong support from HKUST(GZ), which fully values and facilitates my involvement.
Q: IETF Blog: How do you see the IRTF fitting with the work of the IETF, and how might that evolve going forward?
The Internet continues to evolve rapidly, and its development stands to benefit from experimental, long-term research on broader systems issues—areas that extend beyond the immediate scope of the IETF’s standards process. Some proposals, such as network support for machine learning and distributed computing systems, have high potential but cannot be easily decomposed into individual protocol specifications. I am keen to explore how the IRTF can sponsor such research and, in doing so, help define specific work items for the IETF.
Beyond technology development, our understanding of the Internet’s socio-economic impact is evolving. Current IRTF groups like the Decentralization of the Internet Research Group (DINRG) and the Human Rights Protocol Considerations Research Group (HRPCRG) are already addressing these challenges. In the future, I would like to develop methodologies that guide design decisions, ensuring they do not lead to unintended negative consequences.
Furthermore,