Dr. Pietro Perona

Professor

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Biography

Pietro Perona is the Allen E. Puckett Professor of Electrical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His research focuses on machine vision and visual psychophysics, exploring how machines can learn to recognize and categorize images with minimal human supervision. Over the years, Professor Perona has developed algorithms to enable machines to identify various species of plants and animals through crowd-sourced applications like iNaturalist and Merlin Bird ID. His collaborative projects include building vision systems paired with statistical techniques to measure the actions and activities of fruit flies and mice. This research helps geneticists and neuroethologists understand the relationship between genetics, brain function, and behavior. Additionally, Professor Perona is committed to responsible artificial intelligence (AI), concentrating on the accuracy and bias of algorithms in face recognition and computer vision applications. His work combines theoretical foundations with practical implications, striving to advance both technology and understanding in the field of machine learning and human visual tasks.

Research Interests

Courses

Deep Learning Vision: Computational Theory Neuronal Mechanisms Advanced Topics Vision: Large Language Vision Models Selected Topics Computational Vision

Requirements for California Institute of Technology

Doctorate Program
Requirements
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong background in mathematics and physical sciences
Application Checklist
  • Online Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Most Caltech graduate programs are PhD-only. GRE General and Subject tests vary by department; many have made them optional or no longer accept them.