Julie Shah, the H.N. Slater Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has been appointed as the new leader of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), effective from May 1. Shah is renowned for her visionary and interdisciplinary leadership, particularly significant for her technical contributions to robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
Previously, Shah was an associate dean at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, where she facilitated the launch of a comprehensive curriculum focused on the ethical and social aspects of computing that is currently engaging over 2,000 students per annum. She holds the position of director of the Interactive Robotics Group at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and the Industrial Performance Center.
Shah and her team aim to revolutionize the workplace by developing collaborative robotic peers that have the potential to augment human capability. Her primary objective is to expand the application of human cognitive models to AI. She has effectively integrated her findings into various sectors such as health-care, transportation, manufacturing and defense. Shah is the co-author of the book “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots”, which provides insights into the anticipated future of human-robot interactions.
Shah also co-leads the Work of the Future Initiative, focusing on the evolving interplay between humans and robots in work environments. Furthermore, she has been appointed as a co-leader of the Working Group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future examining the potential of generative AI tools for enhancing job quality and accessibility.
Shah’s influential role as an academic and researcher has been recognized with several awards and honors, including her appointment as an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and recipient of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Academic Early Career Award. Additionally, she is praised for her work on human-robot cooperation, which features in MIT Technology Review’s list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies.
In 2024, she was appointed to the AIAA Aerospace Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group, emphasizing the incorporation of AI in aeronautics, aerospace research and development, and space exploration. As a dedicated educator, she serves on multiple editorial boards and is known for her nurturing mentoring style. Recognized by students as “Committed to Caring”, she has been contributing as a community steward, guide, and advocate for the student body for the past decade.
Shah graduated from MIT with her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, all in the field of aeronautics and astronautics. Following her doctorate, she worked with Boeing as a postdoc and later returned to MIT as a faculty member in 2011. She will succeed Professor Steven Barrett, the previous head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
