At the Anyscale Learning For All (ALFA) Group, we mean Anyscale Learning for ALL. ALFA is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive culture that supports, promotes, and empowers diverse voices in Computer Science & AI. Our focus is to improve and build machine learning, AI, and data analytics technology that works for everyone.
Representation matters.
We want our research to be representative of everyone who benefits and learns from it. We value people with different experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds - it’s the cornerstone of our approach to learning and research. We celebrate diversity along many axes: race, religion, ethnicity, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status and any other aspect which makes you unique.
ALFA is not accepting applications for UROPs at this time. The information below is for informational purposes. Check back later for opportunities and updates.
Contact alfa-apply (@) csail.mit.edu to apply
Include: project of interest by name, relevant courses and grades, relevant experience, expected year of graduation, and CV/resume.
Each project has openings for MEng and UROP level projects
Develop automated Red and Blue team agents using neurosymbolic algorithms. Gain experience in language models, reinforcement learning, evolutionary algorithis, modeling and simulation, AI planning, and/or cyber campaigns.
The climate change movement is gaining momentum, and scientists, activists and organizations alike are trying to persuade the masses about the realities of climate change. On the other hand, fossil fuel corporations with deep pockets and others with vested interests in fossil fues dispute the realities of climate change. We study the actions and strategies of climate change discourse from an adversarial, information security lense. This project is ideal if you enjoy data mining and NLP,
See: Grad admissions website for more specific information
We have an opening for a top class PhD student interested in understanding the adversarial behavior that drives the security arms race between cyber attacks and defenses. This research is focused on Artificial Intelligence (including Machine/Deep Learning) and Mod/Sim (modeling and simulation) techniques. One of our projects, named RIVALS , is focused on extreme DDOS attacks and DDOS-resilient peer to peer networks. Others consider the effectiveness of network enclaves, deception and malware detection. We are supported by the USA Defense Advanced Research Project Agency and the MIT CSAIL Cybersecurity Initiative.
Applicants must apply through MIT’s graduate program admissions process for the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The admission application deadline is in mid-December. Mention interest in these topics and studying under Dr. O'Reilly in your application (e.g. statement of purpose,) See https://www.eecs.mit.edu/academics-admissions/graduate-program/admissions for study starting in September.
For informal inquiries, email alfa-apply (@) csail.mit.edu
Potential postdocs should contact Una-May O'Reilly through alfa-apply (@) csail.mit.edu It is very important when you contact us to clearly and concisely identify areas of mutual interest and provide information about your background. Having a face to face relationship with a member of ALFA in the group is very helpful.
The group has rotating funding for a modest number of post doctoral associate positions. Others are welcome if they can earn funding from other sources such as research foundations in their own country. Examples are NSERCs in Canada, NSFs from the USA, etc. In these situations, a letter of support may be required during your application process. That can be provided should the project match well with ALFA. In other situations, postdocs apply after they have a scholarship. Be aware that postdoc fellowships that are funded outside MIT are usually (but not always) subject to extra CSAIL specific fees to cover visa processing and/or resources usage which implies either Dr. O'Reilly must cover these costs or your scholarship should. Having an award in hand does not guarantee an invitation to join. We have limited resources and require mutual interests.
On very rare occasions, outside thesis work can be conducted over a short visit. Note that for these visits, the visitor must cover costs including MIT visiting student fees, CSAIL specific fees to cover visa processing and resources usage, travel to MIT, local accommodations and travel. Most students are funded by their home institution or scholarship for the visit. The cost of a visit depends on the length of stay and time of year, and does not include accommodations and local travel. International students must meet the financial requirements for a visa.
Generally, you must be willing to work on a project of mutual interest, with our software libraries and infrastructure.
Contact alfa-apply (@) csail.mit.edu to apply and for more information
We welcome visits from our colleagues in academia. We are most interested in visitors whose research agenda closely aligns with our own or whom we have personally met through conferences, workshop and related travel. Note that visitor fees are not usually imposed upon short term faculty visits.
On very selective occasions, outside thesis work can be conducted over a short visit. Note that for these visits, the visitor must cover costs including CSAIL specific fees to cover visa processing and resources usage, travel to MIT, local accommodations and travel. Generally you must be willing to work on a project of mutual interest, with our software libraries and infrastructure.
Contact alfa-apply (@) csail.mit.edu to apply and for more information
Unfortunately we don't always have the time to reply to every unsolicited request.
Please don't be offended, we just don't have enough time.