Robert Frederking

Associate Dean for PhD Programs and Chair for MLT Program, Language Technologies Institute

Robert Frederking is the Associate Dean for PhD Programs in the School of Computer Science and the Chair of the Master of Language Technologies (MLT) program at Carnegie Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute (LTI). With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Frederking has dedicated over three decades to advancing machine translation, multilingual information processing, and computational linguistics. He has held leadership roles that include overseeing the LTI PhD program and contributing to the strategic development of graduate education within the School of Computer Science.

Dr. Frederking's research has focused on innovative approaches to machine translation, particularly in the integration of multilingual resources and rapid deployment of speech-to-speech translation systems. His work in the DIPLOMAT and Tongues projects, among others, has earned recognition for their real-world impact, such as enabling communication in low-resource languages. Dr. Frederking has also contributed to major advances in translingual information access, earning accolades like the Allen Newell Award for Research Excellence.

In addition to his research, Dr. Frederking is a dedicated educator and administrator. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the curriculum for LTI’s graduate programs, mentoring generations of students and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. As a representative to the NSF-funded LEAP Alliance, he champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science education. Through his leadership and expertise, Dr. Frederking continues to influence the future of language technologies and their application in global and multilingual contexts.