April 5:
Sethuraman Panchanathan, the Indian American Director of the National Science Foundation, has been chosen as the keynote speaker for Northeastern University's 2024 graduate student commencement. The event will take place on May 5th at Fenway Park in Boston.
Panchanathan, a computer scientist and engineer, assumed the position of director of the National Science Foundation in June 2020. The National Science Foundation (NSF), with a budget of around $9.5 billion, is an autonomous federal body responsible for promoting scientific exploration, technological advancement, and STEM education inside the United States.
Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, stated in a university release that science is the only field capable of addressing the most significant concerns of our era. The relentless pursuit of solving global issues is driven by the exceptional intellect of scientists and the steadfast backing of federal bodies such as the NSF. Director Panchanathan's leadership has been instrumental in identifying the revolutionary difficulties and prospects of state-of-the-art technology, including artificial intelligence. We extend our warm greeting to him as he returns to Northeastern University.
Panchanathan previously delivered a speech during the inauguration of Northeastern University's EXP research centre, which spans an impressive 357,000 square feet, located on the Boston campus in the autumn. Panchanathan expressed his excitement about visiting Northeastern University for the grand launch of the EXP research centre in October. "I personally witnessed the unwavering commitment of Northeastern University to offering exceptional educational opportunities and preparing upcoming cohorts of influential individuals and trailblazers."
"I am genuinely pleased to announce that I will be coming back to Northeastern University in May to commemorate the graduating class of this year." He stated that their education at Northeastern has equipped them with all the necessary tools to thrive in a future that is abundant with possibilities. Last month, Panchanathan published an editorial in the scientific journal PNAS Nexus, advocating for the ethical and fair advancement of artificial intelligence.
According to him, the National Science Foundation (NSF) allocates approximately $800 million per year for artificial intelligence (AI) research with a focus on serving the public's interests. In January, the National Science Foundation (NSF), along with other government agencies and commercial sector partners, initiated the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource pilot. This pilot programme is a first effort to establish a collaborative national research infrastructure for artificial intelligence. "Enabling the responsible democratisation of AI research will create a conducive environment for innovation to occur in any location, and ensure that opportunities are accessible to all," he stated in the editorial.
Panchanathan acknowledged the possible obstacles associated with artificial intelligence. However, he emphasised that the promise of innovation should not be hindered by these challenges. "The challenges should serve as a catalyst to motivate and inspire us to explore the development of guardrails, new technologies, and innovations to effectively tackle them,"
"We do not shy away from challenges." We embrace difficulties without hesitation. We comprehend them, we set them up. Now is the moment when I would advise increasing your speed rather than decreasing it. Before being confirmed as the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Panchanathan held the positions of executive vice president of the Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise and chief research and innovation officer. Additionally, he established and served as the director of the Centre for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at ASU. Panchanathan had previously held the position of professor at Arizona State University for a considerable number of years.
