School of Science at Rensselaer

Assistant Professor of Computer Science M. Mohammadi Amiri and graduate student Sadia Asif have published new research to address interference between task optimization and safety features in LLMs. These interferences are often the result of systematic drift and distortions during standard fine-tuning. Amiri and Asif have introduced a new fine-tuning framework that ensures that safety-mediating components remain stable while allowing task-specific learning. Dr. Amiri’s research focuses on data-centric machine learning, emphasizing the strategic use of data to enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and reliability of modern AI systems. His work develops principled frameworks for data valuation, data selection, synthetic data generation, and the efficiency, reasoning, and reliability of large-scale foundation models such as LLMs. His broader research interests include large language models, agentic AI, federated learning, and trustworthy and safe AI.

Read their published paper at the link in our bio!

Recent graduate and Physics major Calvin Brooks '26 was able to take advantage of the IBM Quantum Computer and hardware on RPI's campus, and take his research all the way to the 2026 American Physical Society's Global Physics Summit.

Reflecting on his undergraduate experience, Calvin notes that, "Taking a project all the way from initial ideas to a written manuscript has been an invaluable experience. Looking back, there were many mistakes I made along the way, but learning from them has helped me develop the judgment and discipline to begin graduate school as a strong researcher. "

Read more about Quantum at RPI and featured students at the link in our bio!

Assistant Professor Ben Larson of the RPI Department of Biological Sciences was featured on a recent episode of the Science Friday podcast. In the episode “Swords, cannibalism, poison: inside the world of killer microbes,” Prof. Larson describes single cell survival strategies in scarce food environments, including predatory cannibalism, which are observed under microscopes in his lab and described in his recent publication in PNAS. Dr. Larson leads an interdisciplinary research group that combines microscopy and computation to understand the regulation and evolution of complex cellular behaviors. Current work in the Larson Lab focuses primarily on the ciliate Euplotes, a cell that can walk across surfaces using leg-like appendages. The lab also makes use of comparative approaches involving diverse cells, including other microbial eukaryotes and mammalian cells, to get at general principles. Dr. Larson and his students aim to enhance our ability to understand, predict, and control cellular behaviors, which play key roles in the function of many ecosystems and in health and disease.

Want to learn more? You can find Prof. Larson's PNAS article as well as his featured Science Fridays Podcast episode at the link in our bio.

When Physics major and 2024 graduate Dylan Sheils started research in his undergraduate program at RPI, he was able to use the IBM Quantum Computer on campus to pursue his area of interest in the subject and inform his research, working right alongside experienced faculty.

"That experience gave me a much clearer understanding of what research looks like beyond the classroom. I learned how noise affects near-term quantum computers, how quantum circuits are compiled and used to simulate physical systems, and how to communicate results through papers, presentations, and the peer-review process. It also gave me valuable practical experience that helped me decide whether research was the right path for me. Working with Professor Rhone also helped me think more carefully about graduate school, choose a research direction, and understand what makes for a strong advisor-student fit. Now, as an Applied Physics PhD student in Or Katz’s group at Cornell studying ion-trap quantum computing, I use many of those same skills every day: reading and evaluating the literature, thinking critically about possible research directions, interpreting experimental results, and conveying research findings. My RPI research experience made the transition into a PhD much smoother and helped me find a graduate program and research direction that continue to excite me."

Congratulations to RPI's Fabian Maximilian Faulstich, Eliza Ricketts Foundation Career Development Chair in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, on receiving a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for his project, “Nonlinear Algebra for Quantum Materials.” The NSF CAREER Award recognizes junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research and education and the integration of these efforts within their institutions’ missions.

Quantum materials are among today’s most exciting scientific frontiers, promising transformative technologies and deeper insights into collective quantum phenomena. They also present a wealth of high-impact problems in applied mathematics. Professor Faulstich’s project combines numerical analysis, algebraic geometry, and machine learning to make high-accuracy simulations of quantum materials faster and more reliable. Through this work, Professor Faulstich and his group will study materials whose complex electronic structures give rise to compelling physical phenomena such as superconductivity. Their research will help scientists in academia and industry to investigate and design materials with desirable properties for applications ranging from next-generation batteries to new quantum processors.

Students in Faulstich’s group work at the intersection of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and scientific computing. What makes the group unique is that students can draw creative connections across these disciplines and move seamlessly from rigorous mathematical theory to algorithm design, scientific software development, and real-world applications.

In an effort to highlight our continuing Quantum research, our second Student Spotlight features recent Physics and Mathematics graduate, Alexander Weiss!

Alex adds, "Having the opportunity to learn from and work with such brilliant people really helped prepare me for the professional world. Presenting this work also gave me great opportunities to network with alumni and industry professionals, honing my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to a wide range of audiences. The resilience and collaborative mindset I developed at RPI have been foundational as I transition into my role as an Electrical Engineer at Boeing, where I’ll be applying those exact system-level debugging and teamwork skills to systems integration testing."

Find more information about Quantum at RPI and Student Spotlights at the link in our bio.

RPI Professor Scott Forth and his research group in the Department of Biological Sciences have recently received research grants from the National Science Foundation and the Sloan Foundation to advance new science!

Cells are known to employ microtubule networks as structural support and as tracks for long-range cargo transport. The Forth Lab, along with a team of collaborators, will combine in vitro reconstitution, single molecule biophysical measurements, computational modeling, and live cell imaging to test the new idea that microtubules can be used as signaling platforms to perform complex intracellular computation, broadening our understanding of the means by which cells interpret their environment. (Image: Microtubules imaged with fluorescence microscopy).

Ever wondered how our students can take advantage of having an IBM Quantum Computer right on campus? We are excited to share our first student spotlight, recent Computer Science graduate Christopher P**n, whose interest in the subject grew after taking our Intro to Quantum Computing class!

"I took Introduction to Quantum Computing shortly after IBM Quantum System One arrived at RPI. This initial curiosity grew into research opportunities through the School of Science and projects focused on quantum education. Along the way, I’ve taken quantum-focused courses across computer science, engineering, and physics, which has shown me how interdisciplinary the field really is. I’ve also had the opportunity to connect with researchers and industry professionals through my position as Treasurer of the Quantum Computing Club and RPI’s partnership with IBM. My time at RPI truly illuminated a path I hadn’t seen before and helped me discover a field that I am genuinely passionate about."

More student spotlights and information on how to get involved in quantum research are available at the link in our bio.

We want to thank Justine and Jim Mullen ’80 for their recent donation to RPI in support of several research projects and a workshop in computational biology, with emphases in artificial intelligence, and quantum computing! This generous contribution supports seven research projects and one workshop, led by eight faculty members working with six graduate students and one post-doctoral researcher. The Mullens’ investment further supports the Institute’s priorities in both scaling research excellence by empowering graduate student research, and in strengthening and extending education. Read more at the link in our bio.

Now streaming on PBS, Project Chapel chronicles the installation of the world's first IBM Quantum System One on a university campus right here at RPI.

The documentary, featuring several of our own SCI faculty and students, follows the transformation of RPI's historic, century-old chapel into a home for cutting-edge quantum innovation and highlights the people, technology, and vision that made the milestone possible.

Watch now at the link in our bio!