Jason Huang Alexander ’27

Computer Science 
Commonwealth Honors College

Lexington, Massachusetts

Computer science major Jason Alexander conducts research to make artificial intelligence and large-scale algorithms more reliable, efficient, and socially responsible. He works across several labs at both UMass Amherst and Carnegie Mellon University on a variety of research spanning graph theory, artificial intelligence, and human–computer interaction. One area of his work examines the reliability of large language models. He was first author on a peer-reviewed paper examining the ability of GPT-4 models to detect misleading data visualizations, a growing source of disinformation on social media; the paper was accepted at the 2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Visualization Conference. In another project, Alexander conducted empirical research to implement and evaluate an algorithm to optimize road network computations. He also completed a prestigious Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Software Engineering summer internship at Carnegie Mellon—which has evolved into a joint project with UMass—through which he designed and built an AI-based educational tool to equip future engineers with stronger tools for AI monitoring and accountability. 

How has research enhanced your education at UMass?

Research has broadened my perspective on how the abstract concepts I learn in my classes can be applied to concrete projects in the real world for the benefit of society. For example, as a computer science major, I take classes on designing algorithms. In one of my ongoing research projects, I’m implementing and evaluating novel algorithms on road networks throughout the United States, which could one day be applied to improve a system like Google Maps. 

What do you see as the long-term impact of your work?

My mentor, Associate Professor of Computer Science Hung Le, has taught me that elegant theories often fall apart when applied to the real world. We are making steps toward bridging that gap by developing algorithms that translate better into messy real-world systems. This has implications for the tools we use every day, like Google Maps.

More broadly, my motivation is to develop AI and other technologies that are more beneficial to average people. I’ve done this through my research using novel AI tools to detect misinformation on social media, and through my current work creating tools to educate students using AI. We’re building a novel AI-powered tool that helps students brainstorm ideas for monitoring machine learning applications once they’re released to the public.

Image

How does your faculty mentor support your work?

I’m fortunate to have had many mentors who have helped me throughout my research journey. I’ve actually been working with Professor Le since I was a high school senior. I had been planning to study the humanities in college, but when ChatGPT was released that year, I was alarmed by its implications for humanity—human creativity, in particular. After being accepted to UMass, I reached out to Professor Le, and he enthusiastically welcomed me to join a small research project with him. Since then, he has guided me in my coursework, career goals, and planning my summer experiences. It’s very reassuring when someone with so much experience believes in you and is patient with you. Hearing about his experiences in academia has been very formative for my own outlook, and I’ve learned so much from him.

Why would you recommend UMass to a friend?

I attended a pretty elite public high school, where many students go on to Ivy League universities. Frankly, some of my peers looked down on UMass Amherst as a public institution, but I think this is so misguided. I believe UMass is the perfect place to explore your interests. As an R1 university, it has all the resources you could want for research and supportive faculty and staff who are happy to assist you in any way they can. It allows students to rise as far as they want to push, and students seem genuinely happy here, which I know isn’t the case at every school. Also, the food is really good!

Meet more Rising Researchers.