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'As part of the core mission of Microsoft Research, we're investing in a sixth research lab in one of the great research and technology hotbeds of the world,' said Rick Rashid, senior vice president of Microsoft Research. 'Jennifer Chayes is one of the most accomplished researchers in her field, and the combination of her leadership, the great cross-disciplinary team she has assembled and the fertile academic ground of New England is a powerful one.'

Microsoft Research New England will focus initially on the combination of core computer science -- especially as it relates to new algorithms -- and the social sciences, including economics, psychology and sociology. An additional team of researchers also will focus on design. The combination will bring together form and functionality in the context of how people use -- or want to use -- technology, with a goal to envision and begin developing the technology experiences of the future.

'Technology is part of the fabric of society today,' Chayes said. 'By merging the disciplines of computer science and social science, the research we're doing at the New England lab begins a new era in computer science and is really a reflection of how technology is evolving along with human beings. We have a great team in place, and our location in the New England technology and academic 'green belt' should provide an amazing source of talent, partnerships and ideas.'

Chayes has established an initial core team of 33 distinguished researchers, post-doctoral students, interns and visiting researchers to begin serious research in earnest. Six of the principal researchers who have joined the lab have long ties to Microsoft and the broader research community.