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Faculty Featured

Welcome to the 2024-25 Academic Year!

As we begin the 2024-25 academic year, CIS is thrilled to welcome Joel Ramirez from Stanford to our teaching faculty. He will be contributing to the CIS 2400 and 1100 courses, further enhancing our program’s academic strength. Over the past six years, Penn has made over 25 faculty hires, continuing its incredible growth. This year, we are also excited about the near completion of Amy Gutmann Hall, a new space dedicated to data science and engineering collaboration, which will host key research centers and foster innovation across multiple fields.

In addition to new spaces, Penn is launching the Penn Advanced Research Computing Center (PARCC), offering cutting-edge GPU and CPU resources for advanced research. CIS faculty are involved in groundbreaking research projects, including AI-enabled medical treatments and reducing data center energy consumption. These initiatives showcase the department’s leadership in tackling real-world challenges with innovative solutions.

This fall also marks the launch of the first Ivy League Bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, with 35 students enrolled and more courses in development. Leadership updates include Joe Devietti extending his role as Undergraduate Chair and Anindya De stepping in as Graduate Chair, both bringing fresh ideas to the department. With these exciting developments, CIS is poised for another year of growth, innovation, and academic excellence.

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Faculty

The Electron Microscope of AI: Jacob Gardner’s Mission to Supercharge Scientific Research

Jacob Gardner, Assistant Professor in Computer and Information Science, first encountered machine learning during a high school internship predicting hurricanes in his native North Carolina. Today, Gardner applies machine learning to scientific research rather than weather prediction. His goal is to develop AI tools that can enhance fields like drug discovery, similar to how the electron microscope transformed science. He aims to create tools that help scientists work faster and more effectively, offering new insights into complex problems.

At Penn Engineering, Gardner’s research focuses on using AI to optimize machine learning algorithms for scientific applications. His work has garnered significant recognition, including a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. Collaborating with colleagues at the Perelman School of Medicine, Gardner envisions creating a “self-driving lab” that automates the discovery of therapeutic molecules for drug-resistant bacteria and diseases like cancer. This vision involves AI generating molecular structures, robots synthesizing them, and testing them for effectiveness against diseases.

Gardner’s research group explores a wide range of applications for AI, from theoretical optimization problems to tools that could revolutionize different scientific fields. As a mentor, Gardner encourages his students to pursue projects they are passionate about, believing that excitement drives productivity. His lab’s research, which spans multiple domains, reflects the power and versatility of AI in solving real-world problems. Gardner is currently recruiting graduate students for Fall 2025 to join his lab’s cutting-edge research.