The Ken Kennedy Institute, established in 1986, is an interdisciplinary group committed to addressing critical global challenges through foundational research in AI and Computing. The Institute fosters collaborative efforts to drive AI-powered discoveries across diverse scientific disciplines and champions ethical and responsible AI innovation.
At Rice University, the Ken Kennedy Institute comprises over 250 renowned faculty and senior research members spanning multiple departments and schools. The Institute’s external partnerships in the computational sciences promote research and innovation across academia, industry, and the community, with notable collaborations with the Texas Medical Center, the city of Houston, several government agencies, foundations, industry, and academic institutions.
The Ken Kennedy Institute is at the heart of AI and Computing scientific discourse and collaboration at Rice University, organizing forums, faculty-led workshops, distinguished lectures, a global scholar program, member events, and two flagship annual conferences: the AI in Health Conference and the Energy High Performance Computing (HPC) Conference. The Institute also supports research excellence and education across Rice University through its recruiting and exceptional performance graduate student fellowships. With a focus on AI, machine learning, data science, high performance computing, and an eye toward emerging computational domains, the Ken Kennedy Institute paves a clear and strategic pathway to real-world impact, committed to ethical responsibility, and upholding values of fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.
We are continually seeking out new opportunities for collaboration; email us today to learn more or get involved at kenkennedy@rice.edu.
Our Vision
We envision a world where research and innovation in Artificial Intelligence and Computing empowers all people and improves the human condition.
Our Mission
The Ken Kennedy Institute at Rice University addresses pivotal global challenges by advancing fundamental research in AI and Computing. We foster collaborations that accelerate AI-driven discoveries across scientific disciplines and promote ethical and responsible AI innovation, aiming to position Rice at the forefront of AI research aligned with human values.
Our Pillars
Interdisciplinary Collaborations | We use AI expertise to drive innovative solutions between and across disciplines, transcending boundaries in AI4Health, AI4Science, and AI4Engineering.
Innovative AI Research | We push the limits of AI methodologies to make them more accurate and efficient without creating an energy crisis.
Responsible AI for Societal Impact | We advance AI foundational work and applications to impact society, committed to ethical responsibility and upholding values of fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.
The Ken Kennedy Institute Impact: Our Events and Activities
- AI in Health Conference
- Data Science Coast to Coast Seminar Series
- Distinguished Lectures
- Energy High-Performance Computing Conference
- Machine Learning Boot Camp
- MD Anderson Cancer Partnership
- Seed Funding
- Graduate Student Fellowships
- Research Clusters
- Research Workshops
We Collaborate with Various Institutes and Centers at Rice University
- Baker Institute
- Center for Computational Finance
- Center for Research Computing
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics
- Data to Knowledge Lab
- Earth Science Center for Computing
- ENRICH
- Gulf Coast Consortia
- Kinder Institute for Urban Research
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering
- Medical Humanities Research Institute
- Rice 360 Institute for Global Health Technologies
- Rice Advanced Materials Institute
- REINVENTS
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative
- Rice Space Institute
- Scalable Health Labs
- Smalley-Curl Institute
- Spatial Studies Lab
- SSPEED Center
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