Fully Funded RAISE Lab PhD Fellowships 2026 at DePaul University

DePaul University

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Vacancy

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Description

The RAISE Lab (Responsible AI Systems and Societal Experiences) at DePaul University is pleased to announce the recruitment of two doctoral fellows for the Fall 2026 intake. Situated within the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media, the lab benefits from DePaul’s strong interdisciplinary culture and its location in downtown Chicago, a major hub for technology, policy, and civic innovation. Under the direction of Dr. Jay L. Cunningham, Assistant Professor and AI Trust & Safety Research Scientist, the RAISE Lab brings together technical inquiry and social analysis to address some of the most urgent challenges facing contemporary AI systems. This doctoral opportunity is particularly well suited to scholars committed to advancing Human-Centered AI and responsible technology development. The lab’s research agenda emphasizes ethical data practices, transparency, and socio-technical accountability, with a strong focus on understanding how AI systems shape, and are shaped by, social contexts. Central to this work is an explicit commitment to communities that have historically been marginalized or underserved by technological innovation. Doctoral fellows will engage in rigorous, impact-driven research that bridges computing, social science, and policy perspectives, while contributing to projects that aim to ensure AI systems are trustworthy, equitable, and aligned with human values. 

Responsibilities

Research Pillars & Focus

The RAISE Lab is dedicated to advancing human-centered approaches to technology design and evaluation. Doctoral candidates are encouraged to align their interests with one or more of the lab’s core research pillars, each of which addresses critical dimensions of responsible and equitable AI systems:

• Human-Centered AI: Research that prioritizes human values, transparency, trust, and accountability in the design and deployment of artificial intelligence systems, ensuring technologies meaningfully support human decision-making rather than undermine it.
• Community-Collaborative Computing: Exploration of participatory and co-design methodologies that actively involve communities in the development of technological systems, particularly those affected by structural inequities or technological exclusion.
• Global South AI Equity: Investigation into how AI systems are developed, deployed, and governed in Global South contexts, with an emphasis on reducing digital inequities and addressing geopolitical imbalances in data, infrastructure, and innovation.
• Socio-technical Harm Measurement: Development of frameworks and metrics to identify, assess, and mitigate harms arising from the interaction between technical systems and social structures, including bias, exclusion, and unintended consequences.
• Responsible Data Economy: Research focused on ethical data governance, data ownership, consent, and value creation, examining how data-driven economies can be structured to benefit individuals and communities fairly.
• Inclusive Financial Technologies: Study of fintech systems designed to expand access to financial services, particularly for underbanked and marginalized populations, while ensuring fairness, transparency, and consumer protection.
• Equitable Speech and NLP Technologies: Analysis and design of speech recognition and natural language processing systems that account for linguistic diversity, dialect variation, and cultural context, reducing systemic bias in language-based AI technologies. 

Scholarship Value and Benefits

Dr. Cunningham offers a comprehensive and stable funding package designed to support doctoral researchers throughout the full duration of their PhD studies, ensuring both financial security and strong academic development:

• Five-Year Guaranteed Funding: Successful candidates will receive guaranteed financial support for a full five-year period, providing long-term stability and allowing researchers to concentrate fully on their doctoral work without the uncertainty of annual funding renewals.
• Expert Mentorship and Supervision: Doctoral fellows will work closely under the supervision of Dr. Jay L. Cunningham, whose professional background bridges academia and industry. His experience includes leadership and research roles at Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, offering fellows valuable insights into both scholarly research and real-world AI deployment.
• Vibrant Research Environment: Fellows will join a dynamic, interdisciplinary research lab housed at DePaul University’s Loop Campus in downtown Chicago. The location provides access to a rich ecosystem of academic institutions, civic organizations, technology companies, and policy actors, enhancing opportunities for collaboration and impact.
• Professional and Career Development: The lab environment supports skill development in research design, publication, and applied AI ethics, positioning graduates competitively for careers in academia, industry, public policy, and non-profit sectors. 

Check also: 

PhD Positions in Computer Science | Photon Intelligence Lab | Stony Brook University | Fall 2026 

Qualification

Eligibility Criteria

The RAISE Lab actively encourages applications from candidates with diverse technical, interdisciplinary, and methodological backgrounds. Rather than seeking a single, rigid candidate profile, the lab values intellectual curiosity, analytical rigor, and strong motivation to conduct impactful research in responsible and human-centered AI.

1. Academic Background: Applicants may hold degrees or training in a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), Human-Centered Data Science, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or closely related fields. Interdisciplinary applicants who bridge technical and social perspectives are particularly encouraged to apply.
2. Research Orientation and Motivation: Candidates should demonstrate a strong interest in human-centered and socially responsible computing, as well as the ability to engage critically with socio-technical systems. Intellectual curiosity, methodological rigor, and a willingness to explore complex societal impacts of AI are considered essential qualities.
3. Standardized Testing Requirement: Submission of GRE scores is mandatory for consideration. GRE results are required for review and admission to the PhD program in Computer and Information Sciences and cannot be waived under any circumstances.
4. Engagement with the Lab: Prospective applicants are welcome and encouraged to reach out in advance with questions regarding research alignment, project ideas, or proposal development. Early engagement can help ensure a strong match between the applicant’s interests and the lab’s research agenda. 

Application Procedure

Applying for a doctoral fellowship in the RAISE Lab involves a structured, multi-step process. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete both the lab-level and university-level applications to ensure full consideration.

• Step 1: RAISE Lab Member Application (Strongly Recommended): Prospective candidates should first submit the RAISE Lab Member Application, which allows applicants to introduce themselves directly to Dr. Cunningham and the research team. This application provides an opportunity to outline research interests, prior experience, and alignment with the lab’s focus areas in responsible and human-centered AI.
• Step 2: Formal University Application: Applicants must submit a formal application to the PhD in Computer and Information Sciences program through the official DePaul University admissions portal. All required academic materials, including transcripts, statements, and supporting documents, must be uploaded in accordance with university guidelines.
• Step 3: GRE Score Submission: Applicants must ensure that official GRE scores are sent directly to DePaul University as part of the application package. Applications that do not include GRE scores will be considered incomplete and cannot be reviewed for admission.
• Final Review Considerations: Completion of both the lab application and the university application significantly strengthens an applicant’s profile by demonstrating research readiness and alignment with the RAISE Lab’s mission. 

Learn more about the circular and the Lab here.