The MIT Stephen A. The Schwarzman School of Computing has launched a pioneering program to support postdoctoral researchers investigating the convergence of artificial intelligence with specific domains.
The initiative will focus on harnessing the power of AI to tackle the most pressing challenges in select scientific research domains, as well as exploring its potential for music composition and optimization. This cutting-edge research initiative will warmly welcome an inaugural group of up to six talented postdoctoral researchers for a one-year tenure, with the possibility of extension for a second consecutive year.
Backed by a $20 million endowment from Parviz Tayebati, a seasoned entrepreneur and government official with a broad technical background and experience guiding startup ventures, this program will equip exceptional postdoctoral researchers with the resources necessary to thrive in an environment that fosters both their academic and professional development, thereby enabling them to pursue groundbreaking research. “I am thrilled to contribute to a distinguished fellowship program that embodies the spirit of interdisciplinary inquiry, driving innovative connections across departmental silos.”
“My sincere hope is that this reward will inspire a groundbreaking era of students, empowering their research to push information frontiers and foster innovative breakthroughs that boldly transcend traditional limits,” says Tayebati.
According to Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the Schwarzman School of Computing and Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, synthetic intelligence has tremendous potential to accelerate scientific breakthroughs and spark human creativity. This innovative postdoctoral program offers an exceptional opportunity to develop unique bilingual skills by combining AI with another discipline, fostering a distinctive expertise that sets scholars apart in their fields. This platform enables fellow researchers to collaborate on cutting-edge interdisciplinary projects alongside leading experts from various fields. We express our sincere gratitude to Parviz for his visionary support of the research community in this increasingly crucial field.
Candidates admitted to this program will collaborate on projects aligned with one of the following six domains: biological and bioengineering innovations, cognitive processes and neural systems, chemical discoveries and engineering breakthroughs, materials science and engineering advancements, creative expressions in music, and fundamental principles of physics. Every student can now have access to a dedicated school mentor, both within the traditional academic setting and in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
The Tayebati Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is a cornerstone initiative within the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing’s broader strategy to drive groundbreaking research in computing. The faculty focuses on developing the next generation of researchers by supporting three postdoctoral applications, each providing personalized coaching and mentorship to fellows. This unique opportunity broadens their analytical perspectives, fosters expertise in computing, and explores its intersections with other disciplines, ultimately shaping the future of interdisciplinary research.
The METEOR platform, launched by the Laptop Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in 2020, enables diverse applications. Recently, METEOR has been expanded to encompass the entire Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through collaborations with its faculty, aiming to support diverse students in computer science and artificial intelligence and increase participation in these fields.
The Social and Moral Tasks of Computing (SERC) initiative at the MIT Schwarzman School of Computing offers researchers the opportunity to contribute their expertise in understanding how computing technologies are transforming societal dynamics. SERC postdoctoral researchers engage in a variety of activities throughout the year, collaborating with MIT undergraduate and graduate students, collectively known as SERC Students, on research projects exploring topics like generative AI’s implications for democracy, combating deepfakes, examining data ownership, and investigating gamification’s societal impact, among others.
