Opportunity for graduating PhD students & postdocs – Binghamton University
Caitlin Light
Binghamton University is seeking a Research Assistant Professor to launch a new Artificial Intelligence & Society research stream within the First-year Research Immersion Program (FRI) beginning in the 2026–2027 academic year. Candidates must hold a PhD before the start date; we welcome applicants at any career stage who are excited about combining research with undergraduate mentorship and teaching.
FRI is a nationally recognized program that engages first-year students in authentic, team-based research experiences. Each research stream is led by a research faculty member who mentors a cohort of ~30 students through a three-course sequence focused on research methods, collaborative investigation, and continued research in the second year. The role is ideal for scholars who want to advance their research while closely mentoring undergraduate researchers and building a collaborative research community. More detail about the FRI program is available at our website.
The Artificial Intelligence & Society stream will explore how AI shapes, and is shaped by, human systems. We are especially interested in scholars from social sciences, behavioral sciences, public health, education, psychology, sociology, communication, business, geography, history, computer science, engineering, and related interdisciplinary fields who study the societal impacts of AI, ethics and bias in AI systems, human-AI interaction, or applications of AI within social contexts.
The candidate will have the opportunity to develop their own research agenda while leading undergraduate research teams investigating these questions. They will also join a growing interdisciplinary network of faculty collaborators and emerging AI initiatives at Binghamton, including The Center for AI Responsibility and Research and other university AI institutes that are expanding opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.
Here is what one FRI Research Assistant Professor said about their experience with the program:
“FRI is a unique opportunity to deeply link research and teaching: I teach students concepts through research skills and projects and conduct much of my research by teaching students how to do research. I enjoy the opportunity to work with a diverse group of deeply motivated students each year and often get to mentor them throughout their college careers. I also appreciate that FRI encourages REs to innovate and reflect as teachers and that we often share and collaborate on teaching activities and approaches. As a researcher, the structure of FRI makes it possible to maintain a mix of both short-term (1-2 cohort) and long-term (5+ cohort) projects. I also enjoy the collaborations I have established with campus and external collaborators and the ability to connect my students to a wide range of research opportunities and scientific careers.”
The position is formally advertised at Binghamton University’s Interview Exchange:
Research Assistant Professor, Artificial Intelligence and Society
https://binghamton.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=198844
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Caitlin