Key Takeaways
- University of Arizona earned five DOE AI research awards through the DOE Genesis Mission.
- AI projects focus on energy, climate, biology, quantum science and cybersecurity.
- Initiative aims to accelerate scientific discovery through AI-enabled research.
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five University of Arizona research projects for its inaugural Genesis Mission awards, recognizing work that uses artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery in energy, national security, biology and Earth sciences.
The DOE AI research awards are part of the Department of Energy’s new Genesis Mission, announced Tuesday in Washington. The initiative funds AI-driven research designed to speed scientific discoveries by combining artificial intelligence, supercomputing and quantum technologies.
The University of Arizona received five prime awards, placing it among the top universities in the competition. The university said only three institutions secured more lead awards. Overall, the Genesis Mission selected 278 projects involving 342 organizations, including universities, national laboratories, companies and nonprofit groups.
University President Suresh Garimella said the awards reflect years of investment in integrating artificial intelligence across research and education.
“These DOE AI research awards are a direct result of the intentional work of our faculty and staff who have been building AI into the fabric of how this university operates across research, teaching and learning, and operations,” Garimella said.
Researchers Target Energy, Climate and Biology
The DOE AI research awards support funded projects that span multiple scientific fields.
Marwan Krunz, a Regents Professor of electrical and computer engineering, will develop physics-informed AI tools designed to strengthen cybersecurity for AI-enabled scientific workflows. The research aims to protect applications supporting fusion energy, power grids and climate science. The project includes Loukas Lazos and collaborators at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Through the DOE AI research awards, Scott Saleska, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the Center for Biosphere 2, will use AI to improve predictions of interactions among water, minerals, plants and microbes beneath Earth’s surface. Researchers will test the models at Biosphere 2’s Landscape Evolution Observatory while adapting them to new environments.
Assistant physics professor Pooja Siwach will lead a project that develops an AI framework capable of identifying the most effective classical, quantum or hybrid computing method for solving nuclear physics problems. The effort includes computer science professor Chicheng Zhang and researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Backed by the DOE AI research awards, associate professor Travis Wheeler of the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy will use AI to predict how proteins move and function. Researchers said the work could significantly reduce the time required to model enzyme behavior, supporting advances in bioenergy, agriculture and environmental science. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is participating in the project.
A fifth University of Arizona effort involves hydrology professor Laura Condon, who is collaborating with Argonne National Laboratory on a laboratory-led project focused on AI models that improve predictions of water availability and flood hazards across the continental United States.
Officials Highlight AI’s Expanding Research Role
University officials said the DOE AI research awards under the Genesis Mission support a broader national effort to accelerate scientific research through advanced computing and artificial intelligence.
Tomás DÃaz de la Rubia, the university’s senior vice president for research and partnerships, said the projects demonstrate the institution’s long-term strategy of combining AI with scientific expertise.
“These projects reflect the University of Arizona’s deliberate investment in bringing artificial intelligence together with world-class scientific expertise to accelerate discovery,” DÃaz de la Rubia said.
David Ebert, the university’s chief AI officer, said artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important research tool rather than a replacement for scientists.
“AI-enabled science doesn’t replace scientists; it empowers them to be more effective and will rapidly increase the rate of scientific discovery,” Ebert said.
The Department of Energy said the DOE AI research awards through the Genesis Mission will evaluate whether AI-enabled scientific workflows can produce faster discoveries, improve predictions, and generate new scientific insights across disciplines supporting national priorities.
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