Getting Involved

We're always open to new collaborations. If you're working on related research, we'd love to hear from you. Feel free to send an email directly with a brief description of your work and potential collaboration ideas. We're particularly excited about interdisciplinary collaborations that might add a new perspective to what we do.

Our lab admits PhD students through the Department of Computer Science. Please include a clear research statement that details your interest in our research areas, and mention our PI or lab name in your application. When preparing your statement, you may find cs-sop.org to be a helpful resource.

While you are welcome to reach out directly, and we'll try to make time to chat, please note that direct contact will not confer any advantages during the admissions process. We aim to evaluate all applications fairly and thoroughly.

What we're looking for: Strong technical background in machine learning, HCI, or related fields. High agency and a taste for open-ended problems without clear existing scaffolding. Most importantly, we value intellectual curiosity, creativity, humility, and comfort with ambiguity. We seek students who want to combine technical depth with intellectual versatility.

Note: we may not be recruiting during a given cycle. We plan to post updates here, but feel free to reach out before applying if unsure.

If you are an existing undergraduate or masters student and are interested in working with us, please fill out our lab form.

Time commitment: We ask for a minimum commitment of two quarters and participation in weekly lab meetings. Research takes time to develop, and we want to ensure you have a meaningful experience that contributes to both your learning and our research goals.

Prerequisites: Depending on the project, you may need strong programming abilities (often Python), solid mathematical background, or experience with particular software stacks. We'll discuss specifics based on your interests and potential directions.

Funding for visiting researchers is currently limited, but we welcome interest from those who are supported through fellowships, exchange programs, or their home institutions. We encourage visiting students and researchers who want to collaborate with us on specific projects or explore new ideas in human-AI interaction.

Please send us an email with:

• Current CV
• Clear description of your research interests and how they align with our work
• Proposed scope and timeline for your visit (typically 3-12 months)
• Information about your funding situation

We're always interested in exceptional postdoctoral candidates who want to drive independent research within our lab's broader mission.

Email us directly with your CV, research statement, and 2-3 representative publications. We encourage early-career researchers to reach out even if we don't have current openings listed here, since strong candidates can help us secure funding for new positions. Prospective postdocs may also be interested in the Neukom Scholars program.

Welcome! Please read Nikhil's Digital Arts Advising Statement and reach out with a description of your interests, and why you think working with us is a good match for them. Ideally, please also fill out our lab form.

If you are interested in research partnerships, recruiting our students, sponsored research projects, or otherwise collaborating, please feel free to contact us with a description of what you have in mind.