REU Site: Applied Artificial Intelligence for Advanced Applications

人工智能(AI)在从个性化医疗、国家安全、智能交通、电子商务到在线教育等领域推进数据驱动的解决方案方面，是游戏规则的改变者。计算能力的增强、大型数字数据集的可获得性以及机器学习和产生式人工智能方面的算法进步，使人工智能研发有可能创造新的经济部门并重振产业。人工智能人才的发展对于确保人工智能的持续进步和经济增长至关重要，因为它有可能对我们社会的所有成员产生重大的经济影响和提高生活质量。然而，本科生在人工智能领域进一步教育和研究的机会有限，尽管它最近被认为是一个在社会上非常重要和引人注目的STEM领域(鉴于ChatGPT和生成性人工智能的兴起)。该项目通过为STEM中人数较少的本科生提供从事有意义的人工智能研究的机会来填补这一空白。特别是，该项目为来自全国各地机构的学生提供了参与WPI计算机科学系以及数据科学和人工智能项目的机会，通过自2016年以来在WPI成功运营的研究型本科体验暑期站点。该网站的重点是解决社会挑战，解决偏见和信息完整性问题，推进个性化数字健康，以及对可再生能源和人类流动性等关键资源进行建模--所有这些都是国家重要性的相互关联的问题。该项目为本科生提供了独特的教育体验，让他们参与充满活力的研究项目，通过这些项目，他们通过人工智能工具和技术应对关键的社会挑战。学生们在WPI教师顾问和研究生的密切指导下，在研究团队中工作，并在整个暑期拥有一个项目的所有权。参与该项目的本科生接受了从数据准备、模型开发、模型评估到模型部署的最佳实践人工智能建模管道的培训。此外，他们设计并应用这些技术来解决有影响力的问题。如果有机会解决与社会和我们的福祉相关的紧迫问题，学生们就有能力做出改变。为了补充学生的教育和研究技能发展，每周举办一系列关于专业发展的研讨会，涵盖从研究调查、道德、沟通技能到人工智能职业机会等主题，并提供与行业合作伙伴的网络活动。他们参与这个研究项目为学生提供了他们在课堂上不会遇到的人际沟通、专业网络技能和人工智能研究技能，从而鼓励学生找到自己的兴趣并考虑研究生学习。该项目最终使学生为人工智能相关职业做好准备，拥有令人兴奋的领导职业机会--从而为STEM劳动力和美国经济繁荣做出贡献。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a game-changer in advancing data-driven solutions in areas from personalized healthcare, national security, smart transportation, e-commerce, to online education. Increased computing power, the availability of large digital data sets, and algorithmic advances in machine learning and Generative AI have made it possible for AI research and development to create new sectors of the economy and revitalize industries. Development of talent in AI is of utmost importance to ensure continued advancement and economic growth in AI with the potential for significant economic impact and quality-of-life improvements for all members of our society. Yet there are limited opportunities for undergraduate students to further their education and research in Artificial Intelligence despite its recognition as a STEM field of great importance and visibility in society recently (given the rise of ChatGPT and Generative AI). This program fills this gap by providing undergraduate students underrepresented in STEM the access to engage in meaningful Artificial Intelligence research. In particular, this project provides students from institutions across the country the opportunity to participate in AI research in WPI's Department of Computer Science and the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence programs via Research Undergraduate Experience summer sites successfully operated at WPI since 2016. The focus of this site is to tackle societal challenges in tackling bias and information integrity, advancing personalized digital health, and modeling critical resources such as renewable energy and human mobility - all interlinked concerns of national importance. This project provides a unique educational experience for undergraduate students by engaging them in vibrant research projects through which they tackle critical societal challenges via Artificial Intelligence tools and techniques. The students work in research teams, closely mentored by WPI faculty advisors and graduate students, and have ownership of a project for the duration of the summer. Undergraduate students participating in this project are trained in the best-practices AI-modeling pipeline from data preparation, model development, model evaluation, to model deployment. Further, they design and apply these techniques to solve impactful problems. Given the opportunity to solve pressing problems related to society and our well-being, the students are empowered to make a difference. To supplement the educational and research skill development of students, a weekly seminar series on professional development covering topics from research inquiry, ethics, communication skills to career opportunities in AI are held and networking events with industry partners are offered. Their involvement in this research program provides students the interpersonal communication, professional networking skills, and AI research skills that they would not encounter in the classroom, and thus encourages the students to find their interest and consider graduate studies. This project ultimately prepares students for AI-related professions with the potential for exciting leadership career opportunities -- thus contributing to the STEM workforce and the US economic prosperity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.