My name is Panagiotis (Παναγιώτης, IPA: [panaˈʝotis]) and I'm a scientist, engineer, educator, and founder. I am currently CTO at diffractive.ai.

I completed my DPhil at the University of Oxford, studying Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems under the supervision of Dr. Yarin Gal (OATML), and was a Research Scientist at Isomorphic Labs working on Drug Discovery with AI. My research interests include causality, Bayesian cybernetics, and generative design.

Prior to my research career, I worked as an ML engineer at Microsoft, Autodesk, and Brave, and co-founded Filisia, a company specialized in special-education technology.

Panagiotis Tigas

Research Interests

I'm interested in applications of deep learning in scientific discovery. This includes designing systems with effective modeling capabilities through inductive biases, developing techniques to enhance explainability and interpretability through causal discovery, and researching methods that optimize experimental efficiency, such as Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design, to accelerate the discovery of phenomena of interest.

Work Experience

2025 - nowCTO, Diffractive Labs (AI for material discovery startup)2023 - 2025Senior Research Scientist, Isomorphic Labs, Alphabetsummer 2021PhD Internship, Microsoft Research, Game Intelligence Group, Cambridgesummer 2020Machine Learning Researcher, NASA Frontier Development Lab (Hosted by SETI)2018 - 2019Machine Learning Researcher, Brave Research (Privacy-Preserving ML)2017 - 2018Senior Software / ML Engineer, Autodesk Research (Project Dreamcatcher)2016 - 2017CTO, Filisia Interfaces2012 - 2015Software Development Engineer II, Microsoft2011 - 2012Software Developer, Buyometrics

Teaching / Workshops

Feb 2018UCL Bartlett school of Architecture, Machine Learning / AI TutorJan 2017University of Hertfordshire, Introduction to Arduino: Build a self-driving car

Reviewer / Service

ICML, ICLR, NeurIPS, TMLR

Exhibitions / Talks / Work Appeared

Nov 2020Qualcomm, Amsterdam, Research Talk "Can Autonomous Vehicles Identify, Recover From, and Adapt to Distribution Shifts?"Oct 2020ETH, Zurich, AIA Symposium, Research talk "Towards an Autonomous Architecture"Jan 2018Research Values, panel talk, Transmediale, BerlinJan 2016Filisia Interfaces, Bett Show, LondonOct 2015Down To Earth, 66th International Astronautical Congress, JerusalemAug 2015Voice Booth, Institute of Contemporary Art, MiamiMar 2015Parallel Chance, FutureFest, LondonMar 2015Parallel Chance, Tomorrows Transaction forum, LondonSep 2014Cave of Sounds, 90db Festival, RomeMar 2014Voice Booth, SXSW (South by Southwest) 2014 Interactive Awards, Austin, TexasApr 2014Down To Earth, International Space Apps Challenge led by NASA, Dana Center, LondonNov 2013Cave of Sounds, Watermans' Digital Art & Performance Weekender, LondonSep 2013Cave of Sounds, V&A, Digital Design Weekend, part of London Design FestivalAug 2013Cave of Sounds, Hack the Barbican, LondonApr 2013International Space Apps Challenge led by NASA, Google Campus, London