NRT-AI: An Innovative Approach to AI for Sustainability Science & Engineering to Foster Decarbonization of Energy & Agri-Food Systems through Convergence in STEM Graduate Training

This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to Cornell University will develop an interdisciplinary graduate training and research program on AI for Sustainability Sciences and Engineering (AISSE), focusing on decarbonizing energy and agri-food systems. The project addresses the urgent need for innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, such as climate change, highlighted by the record-breaking global average temperature in July 2023.

By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, the NRT seeks to cultivate a skilled workforce proficient in both AI and sustainability, responding to the increasing demand in these rapidly evolving fields. The project anticipates training 105 PhD students, including 25 NRT Fellows, 30 Project-Focused Fellows, and 50 NRT Travel Grant Awardees, from 16 academic departments across Cornell’s colleges of Engineering, Computing and Information Science, Agriculture, and Arts & Sciences.

This interdisciplinary effort also partners with five minority-serving institutions and several Cornell research centers specializing in AI, sustainability, digital agriculture, and energy systems, aiming to equip trainees with the technical and professional skills to address scientific, societal, and workforce needs.

The AISSE NRT program will develop advanced AI methodologies to create sustainable materials, decarbonize energy systems, enable climate-smart food production, and analyze the energy-food-climate nexus. These research efforts will tackle forefront scientific and societal challenges while advancing transformative AI methodologies. Key training elements of the NRT include a small-grant initiative, a rigorous practicum program, and an immersive bootcamp combining a crash course with a team-science workshop.

The curriculum will feature harmonized courses, cross-field lab rotations, and joint mentorships to promote interdisciplinary research training. Additionally, the program emphasizes developing professional skills in scientific communication, team science, ethics, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Expected outcomes include creating new AI tools and methods, advancing sustainability science and engineering, and preparing graduates with interdisciplinary expertise and professional skills.

By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative education, the AISSE NRT aims to produce a workforce capable of using AI to tackle sustainability and decarbonization challenges, ensuring long-term impact.

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.