Cynthia Rudin

Cynthia Rudin is a world-renowned expert in artificial intelligence, specialising in interpretable machine learning and its applications in high-stakes fields such as healthcare, criminal justice, and energy grid reliability. She is the Gilbert, Louis, and Edward Lehrman Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Duke University, where she holds joint appointments across Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Statistical Science, Mathematics, and Biostatistics & Bioinformatics. As the Director of the Interpretable Machine Learning Lab, Cynthia’s mission is to design transparent and effective machine learning tools that enable ethical decision-making, helping organisations tackle critical societal challenges.

Cynthia’s academic journey began at the University at Buffalo, where she graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in Mathematical Physics and Music Theory. Her passion for solving complex problems led her to pursue a PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics at Princeton University, under the guidance of the legendary Ingrid Daubechies. After earning her doctorate, Cynthia held research roles at NYU and Columbia before joining the faculty at the MIT Sloan School of Management. 

Cynthia has received numerous accolades throughout her career, cementing her reputation as a leader in artificial intelligence. Her achievements include winning the prestigious Squirrel AI Award for Artificial Intelligence for the Benefit of Humanity (2022), often compared to the Nobel Prize of AI, and earning a Guggenheim Fellowship (2022) for her outstanding contributions to machine learning. A three-time INFORMS Innovative Applications in Analytics Award winner (2013, 2016, 2019), Cynthia has developed groundbreaking AI systems that have been successfully applied in seizure prediction, crime pattern detection, and energy reliability. She is also a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, AAAI, and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics.

As a speaker, Cynthia inspires audiences with her unique blend of technical expertise and societal impact. She delivers thought-provoking presentations on responsible AI, interpretable machine learning, and ethical decision-making, tailored for industries, policymakers, and academic institutions. Cynthia’s ability to bridge complex AI concepts with real-world applications makes her an exceptional choice for organisations aiming to adopt cutting-edge, ethical AI practices.