About
Peeyush Kumar is a senior research scientist at Microsoft Research. He is a systems & (Artificial Intelligence) AI researcher, where his research is categorized on 2 tracks a) Building Artificial Intelligence supported social technologies for equitable and resilient communities, b) Using large AI models to bridge people, process and technology in the context of industrial systems – especially Food and Energy systems.
Peeyush’s core research builds on a background in large language models (LLMs), reinforcement learning (RL), community psychology, community economics, cultural liberation (opens in new tab), operations research (OR), and stochastic processes. He specializes in bridging traditional and modern knowledge to develop social technologies that foster a world of harmony, prosperity, and equity.
Personal Notes
Research philosophy: My research approach emphasizes the integration of people, processes, and technology in a regenerative and reproduceable way. My work is fueled by a passion for creating a better world – resilient, equitable communities & economies. As I researcher I continually learn about global and local challenges, framing research questions, developing solutions, and crafting technologies that empower individuals and communities to reach their full potential.
I joined Microsoft in 2019 with the Research for Industry (opens in new tab) group. Prior to Microsoft, I co-founded healthcare technology company Cohort Intelligence (now Engooden Health (opens in new tab)) based on my research in clinical language processing, where I managed the development of its first product in chronic care management as CTO. I occasionally lecture at various universities and institutions and facilitate contemplative & meditation circles (opens in new tab), as well as culture-building trainings.
Additional expertise: Over the past five years, I have explored the psychological and cultural aspects of a) healthy family systems, b) building co-creative and resilient relationships and communities, and c) fostering regenerative and circular economies. I employ an archetypal lens to comprehend and synthesize the complexities of modern and globalized experiences, examining Traditional Ecological Knowledge Systems (TEK), Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Systems (IEK), mythologies, cultural anthropology, and somatics.
For a compilation of resources that have significantly shaped my intellectual and experiential knowledge, tools & resources, and recent articles – Personal Website: https://peeyush-kumar.com/ (opens in new tab)
Students Mentored:
- Andalib Samandari (opens in new tab) (UG Georgia State University) 2023
- Yunqing Li (opens in new tab) (PhD North Carolina State University) 2023
- Boling Yang (opens in new tab) (PhD University of Washington) 2022, 2023
- Christopher Cross (opens in new tab) (Masters Stanford) 2022, 2023
- Jessica Quaye (opens in new tab) (UG MIT, then PhD @ Harvard) 2021
- Upinder Kau (opens in new tab)r (PhD Purdue, then Assistant Professor Purdue) 2021, 2022, 2023
- Youya Xia (opens in new tab) (PhD Cornell) 2021
- Lucien Werner (opens in new tab) (PhD Caltech) 2021
- Alireza Sadeghi (opens in new tab) (PhD University of Minnesota, then 3M) 2021
- Sarah Li (opens in new tab) (PhD University of Washington Seattle, then Assistant Professor Georgia Tech) 2021
- Kowshik Thopalli (opens in new tab) (PhD Arizona State University) 2020