Speaker Bio

Dr. Siegelmann is a Provost Professor of the University of Massachusetts, a Professor Computer Science, Core Member of the Neuroscience and Behavior Program, and the Director of the Biologically Inspired Neural and Dynamical Systems (BINDS) Laboratory.

Siegelmann conducts highly interdisciplinary research in next generation machine learning, neural networks, intelligent machine-human collaboration, computational studies of the brain – with application to AI, data science and industrial/government /biomedical applications. Among her contributions are the Support Vector Clustering algorithm, delineating jet-lag mechanisms, identifying brain structure that leads to abstract thoughts, and the patented human-computer interaction for human-in-the-loop computing.

Siegelmann recently completed her term as a DARPA PM: “L2M,” (lifelong learning machines) one of her key initiatives, inaugurated “third-wave AI,” pushing major design innovation and a dramatic increase in AI capability. Three of the programs are still active: “GARD” (guaranteeing AI robustness to deceptions) is leading to unique advancements in assuring AI robustness against attack. “CSL” focuses on collaborative secured learning, and “RED” reverse engineers’ deception. Other programs include advanced biomedical applications.

Siegelmann has been a visiting professor at MIT, Harvard University, the Weizmann Institute, ETH, the Salk Institute, Mathematical Science Research Institute Berkeley, and the Newton Institute Cambridge University. She was the recipient of the State of Israel’s Alon Fellowship of Excellence, the NSF-NIH Obama Presidential BRAIN Initiative award, the Donald O. Hebb Award of the International Neural Network Society for “contribution to biological learning”; she was named IEEE fellow and Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, and INNS fellow. She received the DARPA Meritorious Public Service award.

Dr. Siegelmann is a leader in increasing awareness of ethical AI via the IEEE, INNS, and international meetings. She is an active member, a founder director, and a chair in supporting minorities and women in STEM, at the university level, nationally and internationally.