The 2026 issue of Rice Engineering and Computing Magazine is here!
In our 50th anniversary issue, we celebrate the deep and growing connection between engineering and computing. From our early breakthroughs in high-performance computing to today’s advances in AI and data science, Rice has long been at the forefront of computing innovation. This edition highlights some of the people, ideas, and investments shaping what’s next.
Rice launches AI and digital health degrees
As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and digital technologies transform medicine, Rice University is expanding its academic offerings to prepare the next generation of engineers to lead in two of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy.
In fall 2025, the university launched a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, followed by a Master of Digital Health, an interdisciplinary graduate program designed to train engineers and scientists to develop technologies that improve how care is delivered and experienced.
Artificial intelligence has become a foundational technology across industries, from engineering and finance to health care and scientific research. The new undergraduate major offers a cohesive curriculum focused on AI, with coursework in machine learning, natural language processing, robotics and computer vision.
“We are in a moment of rapid transformation driven by AI, and Rice is committed to preparing students not just to participate in that future but to shape it responsibly,” said Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This new major builds on our strengths in computing and education and is a vital part of our broader vision to lead in ethical AI and deliver real-world solutions.”
Housed in the Department of Computer Science, the program introduces new courses designed specifically for the major and blends technical training with perspectives from other disciplines. Students study core AI methods alongside topics such as cognitive psychology and ethics, reflecting the growing importance of responsible AI development.
The Master of Digital Health, housed in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is an interdisciplinary degree focused on applying artificial intelligence and digital technologies to health and medicine. The program formalizes a rapidly expanding field that spans engineering, data science, clinical care and venture creation.
“We designed the Master of Digital Health around the kinds of problems students will actually encounter across the full spectrum of health care environments,” said Ashutosh Sabharwal, Rice’s Ernest D. Butcher Professor of Engineering and co-director of the Houston Methodist-Rice Digital Health Institute.
The program combines coursework in statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence with hands-on projects alongside clinicians, engineers and industry partners.
Students complete a yearlong capstone project tackling real-world digital health challenges, from developing AI-driven diagnostics to designing sensing technologies and data platforms that support more personalized care.