Congratulations to Professor Rosalind Picard on receiving the 2022 “Lombardia è Ricerca” International Prize, awarded by the Italian region of Lombardy. This year's prize recognizes outstanding work in computer science for safety, wellness, and sustainable growth.
Picard was recognized for her pioneering research in the field of Affective Computing and the application of artificial intelligence toward new discoveries, technology innovation, and the development of wearable devices that have defined a new paradigm for the use of physiological data for safety and wellbeing. Thanks to Picard's ideas and inventions, researchers around the world are initiating projects to advance discoveries in the fields of emotion, epilepsy, stress, sleep, mental health, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and pain studies.
"This award concretely represents the great attention that the Lombardy Region pays to research,” says Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy region. “An award to a scientist of international calibre and also an acknowledgement of all those professionals who, at every level and in every sector, are committed to innovating and finding solutions that will improve the quality of our lives. So, congratulations to Rosalind Picard on behalf of the whole of Lombardy, with the commitment that our focus on research will continue to be constant.”
The award includes a cash prize of €1 million, with a key goal of fostering scientific collaborations between the winning scientist and regional research centers and medical practices. As such, at least 70% of the funds are to be allocated to innovative research activities conducted in collaboration with centers of excellence in the Lombardy region.
“Congratulations to Roz from the entire Media Lab community. Professor Picard has conducted fundamental research, made life-changing discoveries, and innovated technologies with foundational impact. Her work advancing computer science addresses not only critical societal issues, but also improves the individual human experience,” says Media Lab director Dava Newman.
"I'm thrilled and humbled with this honor," says Picard. "Most of all, I want to credit the amazing research community of the MIT Media Lab, where everybody works cooperatively, contributing diverse talents and viewpoints to make innovations that truly improve lives. I am also deeply appreciative of the team at Empatica–they have turned some of our research into products that serve real-world health needs."