IAP 2025: Expanding Horizons in Computing
Building on last year’s inaugural series, Expanding Horizons in Computing explored essential computing topics over four immersive, daylong sessions led by MIT faculty. From deep learning and societal impacts to cryptography, security, and quantum technology, the sessions offered a compelling look at the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of computing.
Hosted by the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, the series was held during MIT’s January Independent Activities Period (IAP).
Links to videos from the sessions are below. Or explore the full playlist on our YouTube channel.
Session Organizer
- Antonio Torralba, Faculty Head of Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Making, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Delta Electronics Professor
A session on deep learning, computer vision, and natural language processing, focusing on recent advances and what might come next.
Introduction to Deep Learning
Philip Isola, Associate Professor, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Generative Modeling
Kaiming He, Associate Professor, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Agents
Antonio Torralba, Faculty Head of Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Making, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Delta Electronics Professor
Reasoning
Philip Isola, Associate Professor, MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Session Organizers
- Caspar Hare, Associate Dean, Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing; Professor of Philosophy,
- Nikos Trichakis, Associate Dean, Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing; Associate Professor of Operations Management
A session on the future of work and copyright laws.
Tutorial on the Future of Work
Kadeem Noray, Postdoctoral Scholar in the MIT Department of Economics and Blueprint Labs, explores the question, will algorithms make the world more fair?
Generative AI and Copyright (Pt. I)
Christopher Capozzola, Senior Associate Dean for Open Learning and Professor of History at MIT, and Umair Kazi, Director of Policy and Advocacy at The Authors Guild, explores the challenges generative AI poses for the legal structures and rights and practices of copyright in the United States and around the world.
Generative AI and Copyright (Pt. II)
Christopher Capozzola, Senior Associate Dean for Open Learning and Professor of History, and Claire Superfine Schneider, Counsel in MIT’s Office of the General Counsel, discuss data, content creators, and generators.
Session Organizer
- Sam Madden, Faculty Head of Computer Science, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; College of Computing Distinguished Professor
This session brought together theoretical and applied cryptographers with systems security researchers to explore cryptography, security, and their intersection.
Keynote presentations included an overview of exciting developments in cryptography and security with an emphasis on synergistic efforts, and an overview of challenges and opportunities in AI security. Leading cryptographers from various institutions discussed advances in applied and theoretical cryptography, and MIT students presented short talks on their recent work.
Designing Hardware for Cryptography and Cryptography for Hardware
Srini Devadas, Edwin Sibley Webster Professor, MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Multicalibration: a New Tool for Security Proofs in Cryptography
Salil Vadhan, Vicky Joseph Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Harvard University
Somewhat Homomorphic Encryption from Sparse LPN
Alexandra Henzinger, graduate student, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Edit Distance Robust Watermarking
Noah Golowich, graduate student, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Factoring With a Quantum Computer: The State of the Art
Seyoon Ragavan, graduate student, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Cryptanalynomics
Nadia Heninger, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, UC San Diego
Session Organizer
- Will Oliver, Henry Ellis Warren (1894) Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Professor of Physics
Learn the fundamentals of quantum computing and the core principles that underpin this novel field. This session focused on quantum computing platforms and the latest research from MIT faculty who shared insights into ongoing advancements, practical applications, and the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Introduction to Quantum Computing
Will Oliver, Henry Ellis Warren (1894) Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Professor of Physics
Integrated Photonics for Trapped Ions
Jelena Notaros, Assistant Professor, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Quantum Circuits
Kevin O’Brien, Associate Professor, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science