The MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman School of Computing announced the launch of a new program to support postdoctoral researchers conducting research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and specific disciplines.
Tayebati’s postdoctoral program will focus on AI for solving the most challenging problems in specific fields of scientific research and on AI for music composition and performance. The program welcomes its first cohort of up to six postdoctoral fellows for a one-year period, renewable for a second term.
Supported by a $20 million gift from Parviz Tayebati, an entrepreneur and executive with an extensive technology background and experience in startup companies, the program fosters academic and professional development and provides an environment in which ambitious discoveries can be pursued. It will empower postdocs. “I am proud to support a fellowship program that champions interdisciplinary research and fosters collaboration across departments. I hope this gift will inspire a new generation of scholars to advance knowledge and foster innovation that transcends traditional boundaries,” says Tayebati.
“Artificial intelligence has tremendous potential to accelerate innovation in science and unleash human creativity,” says Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the Schwarzman School of Computing and the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “This new postdoctoral program is an incredible opportunity to develop exceptional bilingual talent combining AI and other disciplines. The program will provide fellows with the opportunity to engage in research at the forefront of both AI and other fields and collaborate with leading experts in multiple fields. We are deeply grateful to Parviz for his foresight in supporting the advancement of researchers in this increasingly important field.”
Applicants accepted into the program will work on a project encompassing one of six academic disciplines: Biology/Biotechnology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Music, and Physics. Each fellow has a faculty mentor in an academic discipline as well as AI.
The Tayebati Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is a key component of the MIT Schwarzman School of Computing’s larger focus aimed at fostering innovative research in computing. As part of this focus, the university has three postdoctoral programs, each of which provides training and mentoring to fellows, broadens their research horizons, and helps them develop computing expertise, including intersections with other disciplines.
Other programs include MEnTorEd Opportunities in Research (METEOR), established by the Institute for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in 2020. Recently expanded to universities through MIT, METEOR’s goal is to support outstanding scholars in computer science and AI and expand participation in the field.
Additionally, the Social and Ethical Responsibility of Computing (SERC), a comprehensive initiative of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, provides researchers exploring how computing is transforming society the opportunity to participate as a SERC postdoctoral fellow. We provide. SERC postdocs engage in a variety of activities throughout the year, including leading interdisciplinary teams of MIT undergraduate and graduate students known as SERC Scholars, working on research projects investigating topics such as generative AI and democracy, and combating deepfakes. , examining data ownership, especially the social impact of gamification.
