Yolanda Gil facts for kids

Yolanda Gil is a computer scientist from Spain who also became an American citizen. She is an expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI). She works at the University of Southern California (USC).

Yolanda Gil helps computers understand and use information better. She also creates smart computer programs that are easy for people to use. She has led important groups like the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). This group helps AI grow and develop. In 2024, she was chosen to be part of the National Science Board. This board advises the US government on science and engineering.

Learning and Studying

Yolanda Gil grew up in Madrid, Spain. She studied Computer Science at the Technical University of Madrid. She earned her first degree there in 1985.

Later, she moved to the United States for more studies. She went to Carnegie Mellon University. In 1992, she earned her PhD. Her research was about how computers can plan and learn new things. Her professor, Jaime Carbonell, helped guide her studies.

Work and Discoveries

In 1992, Yolanda Gil joined the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) at the University of Southern California (USC). She is now a research professor there. She teaches Computer Science and Spatial Sciences.

She also leads important projects about AI and data science. She is the director of the Center for AI Research for Health. This means she helps use AI to improve health and medicine.

Awards and Special Honors

Yolanda Gil has received many awards for her work. These awards show how much she has helped the field of AI.

From 2010 to 2016, she led a special group called SIGAI. This group is part of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). It focuses on Artificial Intelligence.

She was also the president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). She held this important role from 2018 to 2020.

In 2012, she became a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. This honor is given to top experts in AI. In 2016, she became a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This was for her leadership in using AI to help science.

In 2020, she was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This was for her great work in using AI for scientific discoveries. In 2021, she became an IEEE Fellow. This was for her work in using smart systems for earth science.

In 2022, Yolanda Gil made history. She was the first computer scientist to win the M. Lee Allison Award. This award is from the Geological Society of America. It honors great work in using computer information for earth science. In 2024, she became a Fellow of the Cognitive Science Society (CSS). This was for her ideas on how people think when doing science.

See also

In Spanish: Yolanda Gil para niños