CSAIL Research

Research is the lifeblood of CSAIL. Applying computational thinking and advanced technologies, we pose difficult questions and pursue innovative answers. While research is our core activity, we view it not as an end in itself but as a means to an end. The goal is not merely to build our knowledge but rather to impact our world. Ultimately, our research is intended to someday improve the way we live, work, and play; heal, travel, and learn; manage our lives, and care for our environment.

Who does research at CSAIL?
Principal investigators are generally CSAIL faculty who run research groups comprising undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and research staff. Additionally, we undertake a number of partnerships with industry collaborators such as Nokia, Quanta Computer (T-Party Project), and multi-sponsor initiatives such as Project Oxygen. We also operate the CSAIL Center for Robotics and are affiliated with the Center for Biological & Computational Learning.

How is research supported?
CSAIL research depends on generous funding from diverse sources. These include U.S. government grants from agencies such as AFOSR, DARPA, NASA, NIH, NSF, and ONR; U.S. and international corporate sponsors such as Boeing, Cisco, DuPont, Microsoft, Nokia, NTT, Pfizer, Quanta, SAP, Shell, and Toyota; and research organizations such as CSIRO, Delta Environmental and Educational Foundation, DSTA, Epoch Foundation, ITRI, and the Singapore-MIT Alliance.

What are CSAIL's research areas?
Research at CSAIL covers a broad range of subjects; some involve individual groups that focus on a specific area of expertise, while others cut across the lab and take a systemic approach to a complex issue from multiple perspectives and disciplines. More information on specific projects can be found on our Research Groups and Research Partnerships pages.