The 2024 CMU Portugal PRR Call for Collaborative Research Grants has selected 12 projects to support the collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) research groups and Portuguese research teams engaged in the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) Mobilizing Agendas.
The CMU Portugal-PRR Collaborative Research Grants aim to support collaboration between CMU research groups and the Portuguese research teams participating in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) Mobilizing Agendas (a Portuguese application program that aims to implement a set of reforms and investments aimed at restoring sustained economic growth, after the pandemic, reinforcing the objective of convergence with Europe over the next decade).
Launched in October 2024, this call received 22 applications from CMU faculty and researchers collaborating with Portuguese researchers involved in the Mobilizing Agendas. As a result, 12 projects have been awarded, with research to be carried out over the next 12 months at CMU and in Portugal.
The participating CMU research teams are affiliated with 11 departments, including CMU-Africa, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering and Public Policy, Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Entertainment Technology Center, Language Technologies Institute, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, Robotics Institute, and Software and Societal Systems.
The collaborative research projects will be developed in partnership with 16 Portuguese academic & research institutions: Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics, dst Center, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Flowbotic, Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, Institute for Systems and Robotics / LARSyS – Lisboa (ISR), Institute for Systems and Robotics – University of Coimbra, Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores: Investigação e Desenvolvimento (INESC-ID), Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), Instituto Superior Técnico, Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI-LARSyS), Nexar, Unbabel, University of Aveiro, University of Madeira, and WOWSystems.
The selected projects for funding are the following:
- A Virtual Reality Game To Transform Attitudes About Climate Change
Principal Investigator at CMU: Laurie M. Heller
Collaborating PRR Project: eGames Lab
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Ana Pires
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Pedro F. Campos
Collaborating Institutions: Department of Psychology (CMU); ITI/LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa; University of Madeira; WOWSYSTEMS – Informática Lda;
- ACE-FM: Adaptive Conversational Engine powered by Foundation Models
Principal Investigator at CMU: Shinji Watanabe
Collaborating PRR Project: Accelerat.AI
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Alberto Abad
Collaborating Institutions: Language Technologies Institute (CMU); Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)
- AI and Human Capital Opportunity Atlas for Portugal
Principal Investigator at CMU: Christophe Combemale
Supporting Faculty at CMU: Nikhil George, Ramayya Krishnan, Rahul Telang
Collaborating PRR Project: Center for Responsible AI
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Miguel Matos & Paulo Dimas
Collaborating Institutions: Department of Engineering and Public Policy (CMU); Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy (CMU); Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics; Unbabel
- AI-mediated Augmented and Assistive Communication Interfaces for ALS: Decoding Movement and Movement Intent Through High-Density EMG and EEG Signals
Principal Investigator at CMU: Pulkit Grover
Collaborating PRR Project: Center for Responsible AI
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Hugo Plácido da Silva
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Catarina Farinha
Collaborating Institutions: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (CMU); Instituto de Telecomunicações; Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa; Unbabel
- CAMCITY – Connected and AI-Driven Mobility for Global Cities
Principal Investigator at CMU: João Barros
Collaborating PRR Project: Route 25: Agenda for Autonomous, Intelligent, Interoperable and Inclusive Mobility
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Ana Aguiar
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Dr. Ricardo Matos
Collaborating Institutions: CMU-Africa; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (CMU); Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy (CMU); Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto; Nexar
- Creative Connect: A Data Platform for Climate Action Research
Principal Investigator at CMU: Jessica Hammer
Collaborating PRR Project: eGames Lab
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Pedro Campos
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Valentina Nisi; Nuno J. Nunes
Collaborating Institutions: Human-Computer Interaction Institute Institute & Entertainment Technology Center (CMU); Interactive Technologies Institute, University of Lisbon; University of Madeira
- Designing Digital Documentation for Occupational Safety & Health
Principal Investigator at CMU: Jodi Forlizzi
Collaborating PRR Project: HfPT – Health from Portugal
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Ana Correia de Barros
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Maria Miguel Costa
Collaborating Institutions: Human-Computer Interaction Institute (CMU); Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS; dst center
- FastCAM: Fast Computation of Optimal Collision-Avoidance Maneuvers
Principal Investigator at CMU: Zachary Manchester
Collaborating PRR Project: NEURASPACE – AI Fights Space Debris
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Rodrigo Ventura
Collaborating Institutions: Robotics Institute (CMU); Institute for Systems and Robotics – Lisboa, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico
- Safe Speech Models (SSM)
Principal Investigator at CMU: Bhiksha Raj
Collaborating PRR Project: Accelerat.AI
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Isabel Trancoso
Collaborating Institutions: Language Technologies Institute; Instituto Superior Técnico; INESC-ID Lisboa
- SAFE3D-AI: Safety Assurance for 3D Vision AI Systems
Principal Investigator at CMU: David Garlan
Collaborating PRR Project: GreenAuto: Green innovation for the Automotive Industry
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Luís Conde Bento
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Abel Mendes
Collaborating Institutions: Software and Societal System Department (CMU); Institute of Systems and Robotics – University of Coimbra; Flowbotic
- SSPaM – Sustainable Sensorized Packaging Materials
Principal Investigator at CMU: Carmel S. Majid
Collaborating PRR Project: Embalagem do Futuro (Future of Packaging)
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Mahmoud Tavakoli
Collaborating Institutions: Department of Mechanical Engineering (CMU); Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (CMU); Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica (ISR), University of Coimbra
- TOWARD COST-EFFECTIVE PROVABLE SAFETY IN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
Principal Investigator at CMU: John M. Dolan
Collaborating PRR Project: Route 25: Agenda for Autonomous, Intelligent, Interoperable and Inclusive Mobility
Principal Investigator in Portugal: Susana Sargento
Supporting Faculty in Portugal: Elisa Bacelo; João Neves
Collaborating Institutions: Robotics Institute (CMU); University of Aveiro
More information about the projects can be found here.
