Irene Chen and 6 EECS alumni named Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Fellows

by Matthew Santillan on October 2, 2026

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Dr. Irene Chen, UC Berkeley, 2026 AI2050 Fellow, photographed in Berkeley, California, June 2026. Her research explores the societal impacts of AI with a strong emphasis on healthcare. (© Victoria Smith. Used with permission.)

Schmidt Sciences has named EECS Assistant Professor Irene Chen as a 2026 AI2050 Early Career Fellow. Her work will focus on studying the hidden failures of AI when used for important decisions. This year’s cohort includes 28 researchers receiving up to $16 million over three years to address critical long-term challenges in AI and help ensure it benefits society.

Six UC Berkeley EECS alumni have also been named AI2050 Fellows:

  • Francis Bach (Ph.D. ’05), Inria (Senior Fellow)
  • Andrea Bajcsy (Ph.D. ’22), Carnegie Mellon University
  • Daniel Fried (Ph.D. ’21), Carnegie Mellon University
  • Nathan Lambert (Ph.D. ’22), Trillium Labs
  • Juan Carlos Perdomo (Ph.D. ’23), New York University
  • Romain Lopez (Ph.D. ’21), New York University

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organization prioritizes research in areas poised for impact, including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space, as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

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