2024 marks a pivotal year for Risto Miikkulainen, Professor of Computer Science at UT Austin, with several major achievements showcasing his leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and neural networks.
His work in artificial intelligence covers areas like cognitive science, computational neuroscience, and evolutionary computation. He has particularly influenced the development of neural networks. His transformative work has had an immense impact on practical applications in areas such as gaming, decision-making, and medicine.
This year, his work has received recognition across both academia and industry, resulting in significant publications, prestigious honors, and an influential leadership role.
Miikkulainen’s textbook, Neuroevolution: Harnessing Creativity in AI Model Design, co-authored with Risi, Ha, and Tang, the first comprehensive resource in this field, explores evolutionary methods for designing neural networks. Set for release by MIT Press in 2025, it is positioned to become a foundational text for both researchers and practitioners in dynamic AI systems.
This groundbreaking contribution is a testament to Miikkulainen’s lasting impact on the field of neural networks, a legacy further recognized by his recent election to the prestigious International Neural Network Society (INNS) College of Fellows, which honors transformative contributions to neural network research.
The INNS College of Fellows is a notable accolade that recognizes individuals who have made transformative contributions to neural network research. Candidates are chosen based on their past service and continued commitment to INNS.
The Society, which played a critical role in the early days of neural network development, has become a key institution in shaping the future of AI.
“As a graduate student, I participated in the first IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks where the Society got its start in 1987,” Miikkulainen said. “The field has been thoroughly transformed since then, becoming practically synonymous with AI, and leading to the current AI transformation. The College of Fellows includes many pioneers in the field from those early days to current times, so it is a great honor to be part of it.”
Miikkulainen will officially receive his INNS Fellowship at the IJCNN conference in July 2025, an event that will coincide with another significant achievement—his co-authorship of the award-winning paper with former student Garrett Bingham.
The recognition is not just a personal milestone for Miikkulainen but also a reflection of his influence in mentoring the next generation of AI researchers.
Bingham’s work on “Discovering Parametric Activation Functions”, co-authored by Miikkulainen, earned the Neural Networks Journal Best Paper Award, highlighting a groundbreaking contribution to the field.
This paper is the second part of Bingham’s dissertation. Known as Pangaea, it is distinct from the other methods he developed, Cafe, AutoInit, and AQuaSurF. His dissertation also earned an Honorable Mention in the 2024 ACM SIGEVO Best Dissertation Award competition.
“The four parts were published at GECCO, AAAI, Neural Networks, and NeurIPS—he really hit a grand slam with his dissertation,” Miikkulainen said.
Besides being a leader in academia, Miikkulainen is also the Vice President of Research at Cognizant AI Labs, where he leads AI research to create business impact through initiatives like the Neuro AI platform, which optimizes processes across industries from healthcare to retail, showcasing the real-world applications of AI.
Bingham conducted much of his dissertation work during an internship at Cognizant AI Labs under Miikkulainen’s supervision.
"He did entirely academic work at CAIL, publishing papers and making his software available open source,” Miikkulainen said.
Through his leadership, Miikkulainen has demonstrated how industry-academia partnerships can nurture groundbreaking research while simultaneously addressing real-world challenges.
"In the new world of AI research, industry and academia are more closely tied and integrated than ever before,” Miikkulainen said.
These accolades not only honor Miikkulainen’s contributions and mentorship but also exemplify the collaborative environment fostering AI advancements at UT. Through his groundbreaking research and the successes of his mentees, Miikkulainen’s work continues to shape the future of AI, reflecting the broader impact of the innovative research ecosystem he is a part of.