Julie Shah, the H.N. Slater Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics, has been named the new head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), commencing her role on 1 May. Shah’s appointment is seen as an endorsement of her visionary leadership and the key roles she has played in bridging understanding in areas where the aspects of social, ethical, and economic implications associated with AI and computing exist.
Before this appointment, Shah had served as an associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing from 2019 to 2022. In that position, she helped initiate a synergized curriculum that serves more than 2,000 students annually at MIT. Presently, Shah oversees the Interactive Robotics Group at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), and MIT’s Industrial Performance Center.
Shah is renowned for implementing cognitive models for AI and applying her findings to fields such as manufacturing assembly lines, healthcare applications, transportation, and defense. In 2020, Shah co-wrote “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots,” a widely-read book that explores human-robot collaboration.
Shah has also been co-leading the junior body to MIT’s Task Force on the Work of the Future – the Work of the Future Initiative – and the Working Group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future since March. These groups study generative AI tools’ potential contributions to improving job quality and inclusive access to the latest technologies across different industry sectors.
Throughout her career, Shah has garnered much recognition and acclaim. Examples include her nomination as an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in 2017, her receipt of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Academic Early Career Award in 2018, and her Bisplinghoff Faculty Fellowship. Furthermore, she has also been enlisted in MIT Technology Review’s TR35 List and is a recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award.
As a competent leader in the field of AI, Shah was appointed to the first-ever AIAA Aerospace Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group in January 2024, established to promote the appropriate use of AI technology within aeronautics, aerospace, and space research and development. She currently also serves in positions such as the editor-in-chief of Foundations and Trends in Robotics and an Executive Council member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.
In addition, Shah possesses a commendable history within education and mentorship. This was recognized in 2019, when she was honored as “Committed to Caring” (C2C) by her graduate students. In a long-standing role as head of house of the Sidney Pacific Graduate Community, Shah has proven her commitment to advocacy, community stewardship, and mentorship for students.
Shah attained her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and autonomous systems respectively at MIT. Following her doctorate, she joined Boeing as a postdoc but eventually returned to MIT as faculty in 2011.
She succeeds Professor Steven Barrett, who has overseen AeroAstro as the interim department head since May 2023.
