Yasmine Kotturi, an assistant professor of human-centered computing, was selected by the Computing Research Association (CRA) to be part of the inaugural cohort of Trustworthy AI Research Fellows. The fellowship program, sponsored by Microsoft, supports researchers working to integrate ethical and societal considerations into computing research, particularly in the field of AI. The nine inaugural fellows hail from institutions across the U.S. and bring expertise in the social sciences together with computing knowledge. 

“I’m most excited about building connections with fellow scholars who are reimagining what trustworthy AI looks like—especially across institutions and disciplines—to fundamentally shift how we teach and practice computing,” says Kotturi, whose research focuses on designing and building sociotechnical systems that support worker resilience, especially among those navigating precarious employment and entrepreneurship. “At a time when civic participation feels increasingly urgent, I see this work as essential to preparing technologists to engage with both the technical and social realities of their practice,” she says. 

The researchers began their work with a virtual kick-off meeting in July and will attend a four-day, in-person field school in August. Over the course of the 15-month fellowship, they will engage in collaborative research, contribute to the development of a national trustworthy AI lexicon and framework, and help lead initiatives at CRA partner institutions.

“This inaugural cohort brings a remarkable range of expertise, insight, and passion to the challenges of building more trustworthy AI,” says Mary L. Gray, senior principal researcher at Microsoft Research and the chair of the CRA Trustworthy AI Fellowship Advisory Committee, in an announcement of the cohort selection. “I can’t wait to get started and see what they accomplish together.”