Ramayya Krishnan, the Indian American dean of the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, has been chosen as the lead researcher for a new artificial intelligence cooperative research center. The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has provided $6 million in funding to establish this joint center, known as the CMU/NIST AI Measurement Science & Engineering Cooperative Research Center (AIMSEC).
The goal of AIMSEC is to advance measurement science for modern AI systems by collaborating with stakeholders in various fields such as human services, education, finance, transportation, and energy. This center will test different approaches and translate assessment capabilities into practical applications.
Krishnan, who has been a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University since 1988 and was appointed as the Dean of the Heinz College in 2009, has been recognized for his leadership and expertise in the field of AI. He has previously served on the Department of Commerce’s National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) in 2022.
In response to the grant from NIST, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo expressed her commitment to advancing the development of AI in collaboration with higher education institutions like Carnegie Mellon University. CMU President Farnam Jahanian also expressed excitement about partnering with NIST to support research that will enable the trustworthy deployment of AI-driven systems.
The AIMSEC will focus on foundational research and developing tools, metrics, evaluation procedures, and best practices for AI systems. This aligns with NIST’s priorities of measuring validity, reliability, safety, privacy, security, accountability, transparency, fairness, and explainability in AI systems.
The grant awarded to CMU through NIST’s Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grant Program aims to support collaborative research aligned with NIST’s objectives. This program seeks to cultivate a diverse pool of scientists and engineers to engage in measurement science and standards research.
The new center at CMU’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy will work closely with the NIST AI Innovation Lab (NAIIL) to contribute to fundamental AI measurement research and guideline development.
Carnegie Mellon University has a long history of pioneering AI technology development and is dedicated to ensuring the safe and responsible use of AI. With hundreds of faculty members focused on AI ethics and policy, CMU is well-positioned to lead the way in advancing AI research and development.
In conclusion, the establishment of the AIMSEC at Carnegie Mellon University signifies a significant step towards advancing the field of AI research and development. With the support of NIST and the expertise of researchers like Ramayya Krishnan, the center is poised to make meaningful contributions to the safe and responsible deployment of AI technologies.
