Dr. Rayid Ghani

Professor

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Biography

Rayid Ghani is a Distinguished Career Professor in the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. A reformed computer scientist and aspiring social scientist, Rayid is dedicated to harnessing large-scale AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science to address significant public policy challenges in a fair and equitable manner. His research interests span health, criminal justice, education, public safety, economic development, and urban infrastructure, reflecting his commitment to using technology for social impact. He founded the Center for Data Science & Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon and was previously a Research Associate Professor in Computer Science at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy. During the 2012 Obama Election Campaign, Rayid served as Chief Scientist, where he focused on leveraging data analytics to effectively target and influence voters. In addition to his academic pursuits, Rayid is passionate about teaching practical data science, having initiated the Data Science for Social Good Fellowship, which trains a diverse group of professionals to work on impactful data science problems. Outside of academia, he enjoys coffee-related projects and collaborates with non-profits to enhance their data and analytics strategies.

Research Interests

Experience

Distinguished Career Professor

— Present

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Leads research and academic initiatives in Machine Learning and Public Policy.

Founding Director

— Present

Center for Data Science & Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon • Pittsburgh, PA

Established a center focused on utilizing data science for social impact.

Chief Scientist

2012-01-01 — 2012-12-31

Obama 2012 Election Campaign •

Utilized data analytics to influence voter engagement and strategies.

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.