Lucas Monteiro Paes, a Ph.D. student in applied mathematics at Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), has received an Apple Scholars in AIML Fellowship. Monteiro Paes, who is advised by Flavio Calmon, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, was chosen for his research contributions to computer science and engineering.
“I’m very interested in the ethics of artificial intelligence,” Monteiro Paes explained. “I attempt to ensure that machine learning algorithms do not discriminate against or hurt you, and that we can understand their predictions to ensure they are data-driven and not arbitrary. I spend the majority of my time developing machine learning tools for social benefit, and I utilize mathematics to assure their effectiveness in the actual world.”
Monteiro Paes joined Calmon’s group after earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics in his home Brazil. He was drawn to Harvard’s mix of strong mathematics and social sciences courses and hoped to conduct research at the junction of the two.
“These past two years, there has been a revolution in AI,” he added. “In today’s world, everyone interacts with artificial intelligence, and it is critical that we govern how these models interact with users. My study focuses on ways to make these encounters safer.
Monteiro Paes is the second SEAS student to be recognized as an Apple Scholar in AIML, after Sushmita Bhattacharya in 2022. The Apple Scholars in AIML PhD scholarship honors graduate and postdoctoral researchers in computer science and engineering. Each Scholar receives cash to pursue their PhD, internship opportunities, and mentorship from an Apple researcher in their field.
“I will have more freedom and flexibility to collaborate with other researchers,” Monteiro Paes said in a statement. “Moreover, the interaction with Apple’s mentors will help me understand the main topics in trustworthy machine learning in which companies are interested and actively developing solutions.”