Large language model safety research wins Rath Award at Spring 2026 Graduate Commencement
At the ceremony, Mines awarded 58 doctorates and 426 master’s degrees to May graduates
Michael Ivanitskiy, PhD in applied mathematics and statistics, is the winner of the Spring 2026 Dr. Bhakta Rath and Sushama Rath Research Award.
The honor, which recognizes the Colorado School of Mines doctoral graduate whose thesis demonstrates the greatest potential for societal impact, was presented during Spring 2026 Graduate Commencement on May 15.
At the ceremony, Mines awarded 58 doctorates and 426 master’s degrees to May graduates.
Ivanitskiy’s dissertation, “Interpretability of representations, attention, and computation in language models” focuses on AI safety and the development of new methods for large language models (LLM) around interpretability and alignment – our ability to understand the decision-making of AI systems and ensure that AI systems behave in accordance with human intentions, values and ethical principles.
LLMs are already influencing how people learn, work and access information in all areas of life, including education, healthcare, finance and scientific research. But the models remain largely opaque, a lack of transparency that makes it difficult to understand why they produce certain outputs, when they may fail, and how to ensure that they behave safely in high-stakes environments.
Ivanitskiy’s research directly addresses this challenge by developing interpretability techniques that reveal the internal structure and decision processes of LLMs. His advisors were Samy Wu Fung, assistant professor of applied mathematics and statistics, and Cecilia Diniz Behn, Joe & Jane Gray Distinguished University Chair of Applied Mathematics and Statistics.
“Michael’s work focuses on better understanding the internal mechanisms of LLMs in the context of AI safety, particularly in ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are interpretable, reliable and aligned with human values,” Wu Fung said. “This kind of research will play a critical role in addressing one of the defining challenges of this century.”
Following Commencement, Ivanitskiy will be joining the Machine Learning Alignment & Theory Scholars (MATS) program as a research scholar, where he will continue to study the theoretical foundations of AI alignment.
Finalists for the Rath Award were:
- Mouna-Keltoum Benabid, Petroleum Engineering, “Easy Deployed Distributed Acoustic Sensing System for Remotely Assessing Potential and Existing Risks to Gas Pipelines Integrity”
- Adam Cecil, Chemical and Biological Engineering, “From Binding to Function: A Multiscale Framework for Mechanism Discovery and Engineering of Antivirulence Nanobodies Targeting B. Anthracis S-Layers"
- Sangita Gayatri Kannan, Economics & Business, “Economic and Strategic Dimensions of Critical Minerals: Supply Shocks, Local Outcomes and Processing Power”
- Grace Rabinowitz, Mechanical Engineering, “An Experimental Study of Shock Interactions and Explosively-Driven Reactive Material Ignition”
- Emily Royal, Electrical Engineering, “Long-Term Electric Demand Forecasting Combined with Renewable Energy Optimization for Building Electrification”
- Qiaojie Zheng, Robotics, “Machine Learning and Foundation Model Enhanced Interpretable Quality Assessment for Metal Additive Manufacturing”
Other Graduate Awards
Chemical & Biological Engineering
- Outstanding Thesis Award: Adam Cecil
Computer Science
- Outstanding Master’s Student: Connor J. Groeneweg and Mabel Reed
Economics & Business
- Broussard Award in Engineering & Technology Management: Sawyer James Steinke
- Joe Eazor Award in Engineering & Technology Management: Viviana E. Nelson
- Risser Award in Mineral & Energy Economics: Sangita Gayatri Kannan
- William Jesse Coulter Award in Mineral & Energy Economics: Lisa Kaili Diamond and Hannah Mae Kamen
Humanitarian Engineering and Science
- Outstanding Graduate Student Award: Zoë Halliday Brouillet and Sigourney A. Burch
Mechanical Engineering
- Emeritus Faculty Exemplary Graduate Student Award: Isaac Matthew Wheelis
- Outstanding Dissertation Award: Parag Ashar and Grace Isabella Rabinowitz
Petroleum Engineering
- Outstanding Master’s Student: Mohamed Elsayed Mohamed Elmishrefy
- Outstanding PhD Student: Mouna-Keltoum Benabid
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
