Grant Van Horn

Grant's research lies at the intersection of computer vision and machine learning, focusing on creating intelligent information systems that blend human expertise, advanced machine learning techniques, and large datasets. His work is driven by a commitment to leveraging these technologies for public engagement and supporting scientific endeavors in biodiversity and conservation. Notably, his contributions power popular wildlife identification applications such as iNaturalist, Seek, and Merlin Bird ID.

After finishing his doctoral studies at Caltech, Grant spent 6 months as a researcher at AWS before joining Cornell and working with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a researcher for 4 years. In the fall of 2023 he joined the College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst as an Assistant Professor.

Grant's undergraduate work was recognized with a Computing Research Association Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher, Honorable Mention award. His Ph.D. work was recognized with the Ben P.C. Chou Doctoral Prize in Information Science and Technology from Caltech. Fast Company recognized Grant as one the most productive people of 2021 for his work on Merlin Sound ID.