Harvey Mudd Establishes New Endowed Professorship: Building the Next Generation of Human-Centered AI

Harvey Mudd College has established the Jenna and Paul Segal Endowed Professorship in Artificial Intelligence, made possible by a grant from the Paul and Jenna Segal Family Foundation. This initiative underscores the College’s commitment to building a premier, integrated AI laboratory—a space where undergraduate students are empowered to build, evaluate and critically direct the future of AI technologies.

“As the technological landscape undergoes rapid transformations, Harvey Mudd is moving forward with bold initiatives to prepare our students to lead in human-centered AI,” said President Harriet B. Nembhard. “This professorship allows us to cultivate an environment where undergraduates learn the discipline of rigorous evaluation and the technical agency required to build from the ground up.”

From Theory to Real Impact

The Segal professor will serve as a teacher-scholar-builder, bridging the gap between classroom theory and the emerging technical and ethical frontiers around the development and use of artificial intelligence. By engaging with Harvey Mudd’s newly established Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence (IAL–AI), the endowed faculty position will mobilize student capability and impact. This vision centers on developing a community where students develop and evaluate AI systems for robustness, reliability and energy efficiency and build the capacity to critically reflect on the impact of their work in society.

This culture of rigorous interrogation serves as the engine of Harvey Mudd’s signature Clinic Program. The Segal professor will lead teams of juniors and seniors in solving significant AI-related technical challenges for external industry and nonprofit partners. This approach ensures that HMC graduates enter the workforce not just with deep technical fluency, but also with the ethical grounding and builder mindset required to lead responsibly.

“Harvey Mudd is uniquely positioned to help undergraduates shape the future of AI,” said Paul Segal. “We hope this professorship helps sustain a culture where ambitious ideas are welcomed, experiments are measured honestly, and each generation of students builds on what the previous one shipped.”

National Search

Harvey Mudd College has launched a national search for the inaugural Jenna and Paul Segal Endowed Professorship in Artificial Intelligence. The College seeks a visionary individual who combines technical excellence with a strong record of mentorship. The faculty position announcement provides details and instructions on how to apply.