Recent accolades for the University of Washington comprise the best paper distinction at the NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop, the Scialog: Early Science with the LSST Collaborative Innovation Award, and the 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award.

Professor awarded ‘best paper’ at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop

Max Kleiman-Weiner, an assistant professor in the UW Foster School of Business, has secured the $1,000 Best Paper Award on Pluralistic Alignment at the 2024 NeurIPS Workshop.

The Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, or NeurIPS, is regarded as one of the most prominent conferences in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, noted for its stringent peer-review procedure.

Kleiman-Weiner co-authored the article, “Language Model Alignment in Multilingual Trolley Problems,” which presents the MultiTP dataset—a compilation of ethical dilemmas in over 100 languages that facilitates the evaluation of large language models’ decision-making in various linguistic scenarios. The study investigated the correspondence of 19 LLMs with human evaluations across six ethical dimensions.

“By analyzing ethical decisions in more than 100 languages, we found that language models frequently struggle to capture the rich diversity of human moral values across cultures,” Kleiman-Weiner stated. “This underscores the importance of pluralistic alignment — ensuring AI systems can comprehend and honor diverse cultural viewpoints — as we develop these technologies. I’m enthusiastic about this research because it compels us to critically assess whose values are reflected in AI systems. … We aspire for this study to inspire further efforts to construct AI systems that cater to all humanity, not merely a privileged few.”

Nora Shipp honored with Collaborative Innovation Award

Nora Shipp, an assistant professor of astronomy at UW, was selected as part of one of eight interdisciplinary teams to receive the Collaborative Innovation Award during the inaugural year of Scialog: Early Science with the LSST.

This initiative, spearheaded by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, is a three-year initiative aimed at aiding early-career scientists as they prepare to harness data from the forthcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

“Scialog has provided an excellent platform to connect with scientists throughout the field of astronomy to develop innovative strategies for leveraging the unparalleled data that will soon be available from the LSST,” Shipp mentioned.

Shipp’s proposal unites researchers to investigate stars and dark matter—not solely within the Milky Way but also in smaller galaxies. By employing the LSST to illuminate the faint outer areas of these galaxies, this research will enhance our understanding of the universe’s formation and the constraints governing galaxy development.

Scialog, an abbreviation for “science + dialog,” is a cooperative initiative established by RCSA in 2010. It aims to speed up breakthroughs by nurturing a network of innovative scientists across various fields and promoting deep discussions on scientifically significant global themes.

As part of this initiative, the conference convened a skilled assembly of scientists and facilitators, including Eric Bellm, research associate professor of astronomy and DiRAC Institute Fellow, to steer the discussions.

Chemical engineering professor earns 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award

David Bergsman, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at UW, has been honored as the 2024 recipient of the American Vacuum Society (AVS) Thin Film Division Paul Holloway Young Investigator Award. Named in tribute to Professor Paul H. Holloway, a respected scholar and contributor to AVS, this award acknowledges young researchers for their substantial theoretical and experimental advancements in thin film studies.

Bergsman investigates the process of depositing layers of plastic that measure 1/1000 the width of a human hair, applying this to enhance materials for computer processors, renewable energy, and water purification technologies.

“The American Vacuum Society has been pivotal to my development as a young scientist,” Bergsman expressed. “I am profoundly humbled to receive this accolade from a community that has consistently provided an inspiring and nurturing atmosphere. I look forward to continuing my engagement with this network of researchers and advancing the frontiers of study in interfacial engineering, surface sciences, thin films, and related technologies.”