Cynthia Breazeal
Dean of Digital Learning
- MIT Open Learning
Cynthia Breazeal is the director of MIT RAISE, a cross-MIT research effort on advancing and democratizing AI education through K-12 and adult education. A collaboration between Open Learning, the Media Lab, and the Schwarzman College of Computing, RAISE offers annual K12 outreach programs such as a six-week summer program called MIT FutureMakers and the Day of AI, where thousands of teachers across the world bring AI literacy to their classrooms and introduce students to foundational concepts in AI. Breazeal is also head of the Personal Robots research group at the MIT Media Lab, where she is a professor of media arts and sciences. Her research focus includes technical innovation in AI and user experience design combined with understanding the psychology of engagement to design personified AI technologies that promote human flourishing and personal growth. Her recent work focuses on the theme of “living with AI” and understanding the long-term impact of social robots that can build relationships and provide personalized support as helpful companions in daily life. Her research group actively investigates social robots applied to education, pediatrics, health and wellness, and aging. As part of this mission, her group also develops design justice frameworks for human-robot interaction and inclusive AI literacy education for under-served K12 students.