Julie Shah ’04, SM ’06, PhD ’11, already an esteemed professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics, has been named the new department head for the same field at MIT starting May 1. A renowned figure in the field of robotics and AI, Shah has a reputation for significant technical contributions to this sector, especially in the context of the future of work. She has also made considerable strides in reconciling the social, ethical, and economic implications of AI and computing.
Besides her distinguished faculty position in AeroAstro, Shah has been an integral part of MIT’s Schwarzman College of Computing since 2019. As the associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing, she has played a pivotal role in launching a novel curriculum that captivates over 2,000 students annually. She presently heads the Interactive Robotics Group under MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and supervises operations at MIT’s Industrial Performance Center.
The Interactive Robotics Group led by Shah is committed to expanding human-robot collaboration in the workforce by designing robot teammates that augment human capability. Shah’s research encompasses various domains that include manufacturing assembly lines, healthcare, transportation, and defense. In continuation of these efforts, Shah co-wrote a book, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots,” in 2020, which further delves into this form of collaboration.
Shah also co-directs the Work of the Future Initiative at MIT, superseding the MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future. Her most recent appointment includes co-leading the Working Group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future. The group aims to understand how generative AI tools can give rise to quality jobs and accessibility to latest technologies across industries.
Shah’s groundbreaking work and dedication as an educator have earned her several awards and accolades throughout her career, which include being named an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in 2017 and receiving the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Academic Early Career Award in 2018, among others.
A newly appointed member of the inaugural AIAA Aerospace Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group, Shah presently occupies positions in the editorial board of the AIAA Progress Series, the executive council of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and as the editor-chief of Foundations and Trends in Robotics.
Recalled as a devoted mentor, Shah was honored as “Committed to Caring” by her graduate students in 2019. Her unwavering support has been a cornerstone for students in her role as the head of house of the Sidney Pacific Graduate Community for over a decade.
After finishing her bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and autonomous systems respectively from MIT, Shah took a brief detour as a postdoc in Boeing before making a triumphant return to MIT in 2011 as a faculty member.
Shah will pick up the reins as department head from Professor Steven Barrett, who has been fulfilling the roles of the interim and then the department head of AeroAstro at MIT since May 2023.
