Michigan AI

09/02/2026

Do really need 10+ reasoning steps to answer simple questions?

Check out TRACE, a framework for analyzing how LLMs think. The study finds that long-thinking models are slower on simple tasks due to over-exploration and over-verification.

Work by: Frederick Zhang, Anhad Mohananey, Alexandra Chronopoulou, Pinelopi Papalampidi, Somit Gupta, Tsendsuren Munkhdalai, Lu Wang, Shyam Upadhyay

🔗https://aclanthology.org/2026.acl-long.773/

09/02/2026

Whoa! Despite the rain outside, you all showed up yesterday for Festifall on North Campus! We hope you got to meet some new people, learn about all the different organizations, and hope you get a chance to check out Festifall on Central tomorrow from 3-5 and 6-8pm. Go Blue!

09/01/2026

🏆 Warm congratulations to Hyoungwook Jin, Minju Yoo, Jieun Han, Zixin Chen, So-yeon Ahn, and Xu Wang on winning the Best Paper Award at Learning@Scale 2026!

They introduce RelianceScope: An Analytical Framework for Examining Students’ Reliance on Generative AI Chatbots in Problem Solving.
Paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3774398.3811612
Website: https://jhw123.github.io/project/reliancescope

HomeConferencesL-AT-SProceedingsL@S '26 An Analytical Framework for Examining Students' Reliance on Generative AI Chatbots in Problem Solving research-articleOpen access Share on RelianceScope: An Analytical Framework for Examining Students' Reliance on Generative AI Chatbots in Problem SolvingAutho...

08/30/2026

Welcome HoMe, students. Get all the info you need to kick off the fall semester right in the 8/28 issue of the Grad Student newsletter: myumi.ch/DWWDR

08/30/2026

Calling all Michigan Engineering alumni! Engage in quick, informal chats about career paths and real-world experiences with students by participating in our 30-minute mentoring program. All sessions are hosted via Zoom in Eastern Standard Time (EST), and you can volunteer for as little as 30 minutes. Sign up today at the link in the comments to help the next generation of engineers!

08/30/2026

Thinking about earning a MEng or DEng degree in engineering? Join us on Monday, August 31, at 4pm ET for an informational webinar!

You will explore Michigan Engineering's online and in-person graduate programs, including ME's graduate degrees in automotive engineering, manufacturing, and global automotive and manufacturing engineering.

This session will guide you through each program's offerings, showcase what sets them apart, and help you decide what path best meets your career goals. Whether you're looking to advance your technical skills, make a career change, or step into a leadership role, there's a Michigan Engineering program for you!

👉🔗 Don't miss out on this opportunity — register here: https://umich.zoom.us/meeting/register/Z20CqAOoQ7OWwQWIH5iWbg

08/30/2026

Nominations are now open for Rising Stars in AI at the 9th Annual Michigan AI Symposium on OCTOBER 20, 2026!

If you advise/mentor postdoc or a PhD student (4th+ year) who's aiming at an academic career, please nominate them using the form below. Selected nominees are invited to give a research talk and present a poster at the symposium in front of a mix of academic and industry researchers. Nominees from any area of are encouraged. Nominations close AUGUST 31.

➡️https://tinyurl.com/44csd8jx

08/28/2026

Ann Arbor friends, join us at Ann Arbor District Library downtown for Friday Night AI, as we explore with Ann Arbor Public Schools students how robots are designed, built, and tested, and why making them work reliably in the real world remains one of AI's biggest challenges. Bring your family and friends!

Moderator: Rada Mihalcea (Director Michigan AI LAB)

📅 SEPTEMBER 11 @ 6:30 pm ET

🔗 https://ai.engin.umich.edu/events/friday-night-ai/september-11-2026/

08/27/2026

Thinking about graduate school? Here's a great read!👀

Check out this blog post by Samee Arif, a practical guide filled w/ advice from graduate students on writing your SOP, CV, finding the right faculty fit, navigating funding, & preparing interviews.
🔗https://dumplings.sameearif.com/posts/graduate-applications-students