In a groundbreaking move to advance artificial intelligence education and research, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has restructured its largest academic unit, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS). This transformation aligns with the establishment of the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, creating a robust foundation for enhancing existing programs and fostering innovation in AI decision-making systems.
Positioned jointly within the School of Engineering and Schwarzman College of Computing, the newly organized EECS department now comprises three integrated faculties: electrical engineering (EE), computer science (CS), and artificial intelligence and decision-making (AI+D). This strategic configuration merges computer science-based AI and machine learning with electrical engineering-driven information and decision systems, maximizing synergies between these disciplines. The department will continue to oversee Course 6 while expanding its interdisciplinary reach.
The organizational framework for EECS was developed following recommendations from the final report by the Organizational Structure Working Group of the Computing Task Force, reflecting months of careful planning and collaboration.
"The integration of electrical engineering with computer science and artificial intelligence creates unprecedented opportunities for innovation," explains Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. "This new structure will foster highly collaborative approaches not only within EECS but across the entire campus and multiple disciplines."
Under the innovative structure, each unit—designated as a "faculty" to distinguish it from traditional academic departments—will be led by a faculty head. These leaders will guide their respective areas while contributing to EECS's overall strategic direction, working under the department head who continues to oversee cross-cutting initiatives. The three faculty heads and the EECS department head will report jointly to Huttenlocher and Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the MIT School of Engineering.
"This restructuring provides greater autonomy to each unit while strengthening our collective impact," notes Chandrakasan. "The faculties will concentrate on faculty recruitment, mentoring, promotion, academic program development, and community building initiatives."
Asu Ozdaglar, Distinguished Professor of Engineering and principal investigator at the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, will continue as head of EECS, a position she has held since 2018 while also serving as deputy dean of academics for the College of Computing. During her leadership, Ozdaglar has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including curriculum innovations to meet growing demand for computing education, creation of interdisciplinary majors like 6-14 (Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science), and the Rising Stars in EECS workshop supporting women pursuing academic careers in these fields.
Joel Voldman, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and current associate department head, has been appointed head of the electrical engineering faculty. His research focuses on developing microfluidic technology for biological and medical applications, particularly in cell sorting and immunology. Voldman has co-developed introductory EECS courses 6.03 (Introduction to EECS via Medical Technology) and 6.S08/6.08 (Interconnected Embedded Systems), and recently contributed to revising 6.002 (Circuits and Electronics).
Arvind, the Charles W. and Jennifer C. Johnson Professor in Computer Science and Engineering, will lead the computer science faculty. His research centers on specification and synthesis of complex digital systems using guarded atomic actions. As leader of the Computation Structures Group in CSAIL, Arvind is a fellow of both IEEE and ACM, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2008 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012.
Antonio Torralba, the Thomas and Gerd Perkins Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will head the artificial intelligence and decision-making faculty. As director of the MIT Quest for Intelligence and MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, Torralba brings extensive expertise in computer vision and machine learning. His numerous accolades include the 2008 NSF Career award, the 2009 IEEE CVPR best student paper award, and the 2017 Louis D. Smullin Award for Teaching Excellence.
An advisory search committee comprising EECS faculty members—chaired by Ozdaglar and including distinguished professors such as Hari Balakrishnan, Dina Katabi, and Daniela Rus—was formed to identify candidates for these leadership positions, guiding the deans in their selection process.
Voldman, Arvind, and Torralba will begin their appointments on January 1, 2020. Current Associate Department Head Saman Amarasinghe will continue in his role until the new leadership transition is complete.
"We extend our gratitude to Professor Amarasinghe for his exceptional leadership and contributions to EECS," says Chandrakasan. "Please join us in congratulating Asu, Antonio, Arvind, and Joel as they undertake these vital new roles in advancing MIT's computing and AI initiatives."
"We eagerly anticipate collaborating with the new leadership team and all faculty members to strengthen EECS's impact on our students, the MIT community, and the broader field of rapidly evolving computing technologies," adds Huttenlocher.
