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University of California San Diego researchers will lead one of the Department of Energy’s new Genesis Mission projects focused on accelerating fundamental physics and quantum computing by deploying intelligent AI agents.
UC San Diego's Aobo Li, an assistant professor in Physics and the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, is the principal investigator for SIDERIUS. This AI scientist will analyze data, design AI models, and deploy them on specialized chips to accelerate fundamental physics and quantum computing research. The goal is to translate complex scientific challenges into AI-ready tasks, with a long-term vision to create a general AI framework adaptable to various data-intensive scientific domains. Associate Professor Yi-Zhuang You is a co-PI, and EdenCode, an AI company, is a subawardee.
Beyond leading SIDERIUS, UC San Diego researchers are co-PIs on four additional Genesis Mission projects. These include developing ultra-fast AI tools with the University of Colorado Boulder for processing particle collision data at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, deploying AI agents and surrogate models with UNC Chapel Hill for optical simulations in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments (LENGED), building unified foundation models with the University of Hawaii from five different neutrinoless double beta decay experiments, and collaborating with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to create real-time AI tools for identifying and preserving neutrinoless double-beta decay signals in the LEGEND detector.
The Genesis Mission is a Department of Energy initiative designed to integrate world-class scientific capabilities with advanced AI and high-performance computing. Its purpose is to transform scientific discovery and enhance American leadership in science and technology. The mission supports research in critical areas such as nuclear energy, critical mineral extraction, intelligent chip design, and commercial fusion energy. The program received over 5,000 submissions, with less than 6% receiving awards, indicating its highly competitive nature and significant impact on scientific advancement.
UC San Diego's extensive involvement in multiple Genesis Mission projects highlights its profound expertise in artificial intelligence. Rajesh K. Gupta, dean of the Halıcıoğlu School, underscores the university's unique institutional structure, which brings together Physics, Data Science, and Supercomputing. This interdisciplinary approach is uniquely suited to the Genesis Mission's objectives, aiming to drive physics research through innovative AI tools and methodologies like SIDERIUS, ultimately advancing our understanding of nature and fostering new technological applications.