Who Wins CS Best Paper Awards? (jeffhuang.com)

A new comprehensive dataset compiled by researchers offers valuable insights into hiring trends among computer science professors in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting the growth in computer science positions since 2010, with an average of 250 new hires annually across 102 universities. The data, hosted on Drafty, categorizes faculty by subfields—Systems, Theory, AI, and Interdisciplinary—revealing that AI is catching up to Systems in terms of new appointments. Notably, prestigious institutions like MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford dominate the hiring landscape, collectively accounting for over 50% of the new professors, and a significant number of faculty members return to teach at their alma mater. This initiative is crucial for the AI/ML community as it underscores evolving academic trends, particularly the rising importance of AI within computer science. The dataset not only sheds light on hiring practices but also opens discussions about institutional biases in academic rankings and their implications for future talent in AI. By analyzing various ranking methodologies—including placements and best paper awards—a meta-ranking system called CS Open Rankings was developed, offering a more balanced perspective on institution performance. This research can influence prospective Ph.D. candidates' decisions and foster transparency in academic hiring processes.