PhD student earns major National Science Foundation fellowship

Livia Betti has earned a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program award. 

The NSF program supports outstanding grad students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degree.

Betti, a computer science PhD student advised by Assistant Professor Esther Rolf, is advancing research at the intersection of data-centric AI and machine learning theory, with a focus on understanding what makes a dataset effective for model training. 

"My latest project explores factors of dataset composition in geospatial applications. I'm really motivated by opportunities for my work to inform real-world decisions and policy, such as data collection and dataset design decisions. Ultimately, I aim to develop theoretical foundations that explain and guide these choices, to help bridge empirical insights with a formal understanding," Betti said.

GRFP awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.