Tim Kraska

Tim Kraska is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He co-leads the Data Systems Group and is the founding co-director of the Data System and AI Lab (DSAIL). He is also a co-founder of Einblick Analytics. His research focuses on integrating machine learning into data systems (Systems for ML) and enhancing systems using machine learning (ML for Systems). Notable projects include SageDB, which explores ML-enhanced database systems, and Northstar, aimed at democratizing data science through interactive tools.

His work spans learned indexes, video processing, and instance-optimized systems. Kraska has received research funding from NSF, DARPA, the Air Force, and industry partners like Google and Microsoft. He advises graduate and undergraduate students, with Erfan Zamanian being a notable advisee who completed his PhD in 2020.

Key contributions include pioneering 'learned systems' concepts, such as adaptive indexes and query optimizers. His labs and teams focus on rack-scale computing, transaction processing, and AI-driven database systems. Kraska's research bridges the gap between theoretical advancements and practical industry applications, with his work being commercialized and influencing cloud products.