Julie Shah, a distinguished scholar and academic thought-leader, is set to assume the role of head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), effective May 1. As affirmed by Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, Shah has a remarkable record of interdisciplinary leadership and visionary contributions particularly in the domain of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on their social, economic, and ethical implications.
Shah has enjoyed an illustrious career at MIT, serving in various distinguished positions such as associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing from 2019 to 2022. Her research under the Interactive Robotics Group, which she currently directs, revolves around designing collaborative robot teammates to innovate the future of work and enhance human capability.
Shah’s pioneering work extends to several sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and defense. Along with her innovative research, Shah authored the popular book “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots,”, shedding light on the future of human-robot collaboration.
Shah’s expertise on how humans and robots interact in the workforce led to her appointment as co-director of the Work of the Future Initiative. She now serves as a co-leader of the Working Group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future where the focus is on how AI can promote high-quality jobs and inclusive technological access across sectors.
Shah’s steadfast dedication and contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades. She was named an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in 2017, followed by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Academic Early Career Award in 2018. Shah was honored as a Bisplinghoff Faculty Fellow, featured in MIT Technology Review’s TR35 List, and recipient of the NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award.
In January 2024, Shah was named to the inaugural AIAA Aerospace Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group. As part of her editor-in-chief role at Foundations and Trends in Robotics, she aims to drive the advancement of AI, particularly in aeronautics, space, and aerospace R&D. For her work as a dedicated educator and in student mentorship, she was honored with the “Committed to Caring” title in 2019 by her graduate students.
Shah got her start at MIT, where she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and a PhD in autonomous systems. She later took up a postdoc role at Boeing before returning to MIT as a faculty member in 2011.
Professor Steven Barrett comes after Julie Shah, who served as both interim and official head of AeroAstro since May 2023. Shah’s appointment speaks volumes of her rich academic experience and pioneering work in AI and robotics, holding promise for the future of AeroAstro under her leadership.
