Six MIT faculty receive seed funds for advancements in computer science
Brian W. Anthony, associate director of MIT.nano, faculty director of the Industry Immersion Projects (I2P) program in Mechanical Engineering, and principal research scientist in IMES and MechE, has received a Google 2019-2020 Faculty Research Award in the category of machine learning and data mining.
Anthony’s research proposal, “Physics informed unsupervised deep learning for wave based inverse problems,” augments classical imaging methods in order to reduce the high dependence on initial conditions and the computation time. According to Anthony, tackling the image formation and inversion problem at the raw data level will capture information typically lost during the formation of processed images or beamformed data.
“Our research will enable new types of imaging and new ways to extract quantitative measurements from image data,” says Anthony. “Our unsupervised approach, with learning derived from simulated examples, reduces the burden on human beings to acquire massive amounts of training data.”
This work has the potential to positively impact several fields, including seismic imaging, oil and gas, medical ultrasound, sonar, and radar. In the case of medical ultrasound, it could be used to more accurately monitor disease progression and response to physical therapy. In the seismic domain, these techniques could better analyze subsurface structures to find oil and gas, map the earth’s interior, and understand land formation and climate history.
Sound speed maps showing dynamics of muscle activation.
The Google Faculty Research Awards Program aims to recognize and support world-class, permanent faculty pursuing cutting-edge research in areas of mutual interest. The focus is on problems that will impact how future generations use technology. Proposals must fall into one of several broad categories centered around computer science.
The award provides seed funds to support one graduate student for one year. The selection process is highly competitive, with only 15% of applicants receiving funding.
Anthony is one of six MIT faculty members to receive an award in the current cycle. The others are:
- Manya Ghobadi, assistant professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, for networking
- Berthold K.P. Horn, professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, for mobile
- Alberto Rodriquez, associate professor, Mechanical Engineering, for other
- Julian Shun, assistant professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, for algorithms and optimization
- Nickolai Zeldovich, professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, for systems