CSAIL Alliances Podcasts

Professor Jacob Andreas of MIT CSAIL is trying to close the gap between current machine learning techniques and human abilities to learn language and learn from language about the rest of the world. Learn more about Prof. Andreas at: https://bit.ly/3vECQ5o. Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/Edit%20II%20.pdf.

As one of the founding directors of the Free Software Foundation, CSAIL's Prof. Hal Abelson believes that free software empowers everyone to maintain the freedom to run, edit, contribute to, and share software, as well as see everything the software is doing. Learn more about Prof. Abelson at: https://bit.ly/3fPIEEq. Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/ResearcherSpotlight_HalAbelson_02_24_2021.pdf

Cryptography, the study of finding secure methods of communication, may seem to many of us as, well, cryptic. But in spite of its more theoretical and foundational nature in computing, cryptography is more important now than ever in securing private communication and other types of information that are no longer stored on our own private machines. Professor Yael Kalai of MIT CSAIL and Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research New England is a cryptographer and theoretical computer scientist working on state-of-the-art ways of securing computation. Learn more about Prof. Kalai's at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/engage/spotlights/yael-kalai?utm_source=souncloud&utm_medium=social%20media&utm_campaign=yael_kalai_spotlight Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/Video%20Edit%20II%20.pdf

Our new reality is increasingly one of virtuality. D. Fox Harrell, Ph.D., studies the relationship between computing and imagination for emerging forms of digital media, as well as their social and ethical impact. From videogames that better support diverse user groups to a personalized Universal Hip Hop Museum experience, his work falls into both the design and analysis of virtual technologies. Prof. Harrell and his research group in MIT CSAIL build analytical tools using AI identifying trends and biases and developing new design principles we can apply to our work in industry and academia. Learn more about Prof. Harrell's virtuality research at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/engage/spotlights/d-fox-harrell-0?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=social%20media&utm_campaign=d_fox_harrell_spotlight Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/Fox%20Harrell%20Spotlight%20transcript.pdf

If we want robots to assist us with everyday tasks, they’ll need to be able to manipulate objects on a human level. To do that, they need good fingers. Professor Ted Adelson of MIT CSAIL is developing robotic fingers that are sensitive and soft like human fingers, enabling robots to use their hands intelligently to accomplish chosen tasks. Read more about Ted Adelson at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/engage/spotlights/ted-adelson?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=social%20media&utm_campaign=spotlight_ted_adelson Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/CSAIL%20Alliances%20Researcher%20Spotlight-%20Ted%20Adleson.pdf

“If we want to keep the Moore’s Law momentum going in computing, we have to do something different,” says CSAIL Professor Saman Amarasinghe, whose work with compilers is making them faster, more reliable, and more efficient. He discusses using new technologies like machine learning and modern algorithms and solvers to optimize code and get the performance needed to keep up with the rapid changes happening in industry. For more information, visit: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/engage/spotlights/saman-amarasinghe?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=social%20media&utm_campaign=saman_amarasinghe_spotlight Access the transcript for the podcast at: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/Moore%27s%20Law%20Momentum%20with%20CSAIL%27s%20Saman%20Amarasinghe%20Transcript%20.pdf

MIT CSAIL Professor Manolis Kellis discusses how the symbiotic relationship between computer science and biology helps us to better understand the complex programming language that is our DNA. Through DNA, we can find the molecular basis of the pathophysiology of a disease and take a more holistic approach to disease treatment, and one day may even predict disease. He explains the impact of human genome and epigenome research on the pharmaceutical industry in developing medicine that is both precise and personalized, dramatically transforming the therapeutic landscape. Manolis Kellis Principal Investigator, MIT CSAIL, Professor of Computer Science, Computational Biology Group leader https://cap.csail.mit.edu/podcasts/understanding-science-disease-through-human-genome-research Download the podcast transcript: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/research-pdfs/Podcast_ManolisKellis_04_29_2020.mp3_.pdf

Aleksander Madry, Associate Professor at CSAIL, tackles key algorithmic challenges in today’s computing as part of his work in the Theory of Computation Group at CSAIL. His work is described as re-thinking machine learning from the perspective of security and robustness. Madry discusses the evolution of the human and machine interaction and provides insight on adoption of M/L systems over the next few years.

Are we even sure what the internet is today? One of the original architects of the internet, David Clark, Senior Research Scientist at CSAIL, talks about shaping the future of the internet, the potential challenges and what it could become.

Julie Shah discusses the challenges and successes of designing and employing intelligent design teammates that aim to enhance human productivity in descion-making and physical tasks through using reverse engineering methods and computational models. She shares how research is exposing robots to building skills that allow them to infer and anticipate their human counterpart's next move and motives within a given situation and the flexibility to adapt and adjust outside of predetermined plans.