Pengfei Li

Pengfei Li is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he leads research at the intersection of machine learning, sustainability, and social equity. Previously, he completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of California, Riverside under Prof. Shaolei Ren, with additional collaborations at Caltech with Adam Wierman and an internship at Nokia Bell Labs.

His educational background includes an M.S.E. in Robotics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Zhejiang University. Dr. Li's research focuses on three interconnected pillars: developing trustworthy online algorithms with strict robustness guarantees, creating sustainable AI systems that minimize environmental impact, and addressing environmental and social inequities through algorithmic solutions.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on the environmental consequences of AI systems, particularly water consumption ('Making AI Less 'Thirsty'') and geographical distribution of environmental burdens ('Towards Environmentally Equitable AI'). His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical sustainability challenges, often incorporating learning-augmented approaches to traditional online optimization problems.

Scientific Recognition:

• Dissertation Completion Fellowship Award (DCFA) from the Graduate Program in Computer Science (February 2025)
• 'Making AI Less 'Thirsty'' in Communications of the ACM has received 15 citations and over 17,000 downloads
• Organizer of the workshop on learning-augmented algorithms at SIGMETRICS 2025

Dr. Li actively seeks to build a research group focused on societal fairness, reliable generative AI, and decision-focused learning. His work has established important connections between theoretical computer science and critical societal challenges, particularly around AI's environmental footprint and equitable resource distribution. Current research directions include developing algorithmic solutions for environmental and social fairness, with applications in water infrastructure, energy systems, and equitable AI deployment.