Prospective Students

Joining the Co-Intelligence Lab

Last updated: October 2026

Thank you for your interest in the Co-Intelligence Lab! We design and study AI systems that work with people, and we build and evaluate them together with the people who use them. The publications page is the best way to see what we work on.

What We Are Looking For

The Co-Intelligence Lab is currently seeking students interested in human–AI interaction, particularly in these areas:

  • AI for aging and community engagement. Supporting older adults and caregivers in learning and using AI, creating technologies that are useful in their lives, and connecting students with senior communities through service learning.
  • AI for learning and workforce development. Exploring AI-augmented learnersourcing, cross-course collaboration, and AI-assisted learning that help people upskill and prepare responsible, security-conscious developers.
  • Responsible AI-assisted development. Designing and evaluating tools that help people with diverse technical backgrounds build, assess, and improve applications safely and effectively.

Qualifications. Strong candidates are curious, self-motivated, collaborative, and interested in building and studying technologies with people. Relevant experience may include HCI, UX design, software development, computing education, cybersecurity, or qualitative and quantitative research. Strong communication skills, reliable follow-through, and a willingness to learn are essential. You are not expected to have expertise in every area.

Prospective Ph.D. and M.S. Students

Admission is handled by the graduate program, not by individual faculty. Ph.D. students can join the lab through either of two programs:

For M.S. options, see the Purdue Polytechnic graduate programs. Whichever program you choose, mention my name and the Co-Intelligence Lab in your statement of purpose.

Please direct questions about a program, such as admission requirements, deadlines, application materials, or the status of an application, to the contact listed on that program’s website. The program staff can answer these much more accurately than I can.

Funding for Ph.D. students usually comes from research or teaching assistantships and depends on current grants. If there’s a good fit, I’m happy to discuss it.

Current Purdue Students

Undergraduate and master’s students are welcome to get involved in research. Students have joined the lab through independent study, honors theses, the Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship (DUIRI), and summer research programs. If you’ve taken one of my courses and enjoyed it, that’s a great place to start a conversation.

Contacting Me

Email me at li4251+prospective [at] purdue.edu. Please:

  • Use the subject line “Prospective [Ph.D. / M.S. / undergraduate] student: [your name]”.
  • Keep it brief. A few sentences on which part of our work interests you, why, and what you’d like to explore is ideal; a concise message is much easier for me to read and respond to.
  • Write in your own words. I’d much rather hear how you think and what genuinely interests you than read polished, AI-generated text.
  • Attach your CV or résumé, and link any relevant work, such as a project, portfolio, code, or writing.

I do miss emails, especially during busy periods. Not hearing back isn’t a judgment of your potential. If you’ve applied to the program, your application will be reviewed either way.