Professor Vicky Kalogera examines Northwestern’s ambitions in astrophysics, AI and data science.
Photo Credit: Shane Collins/Northwestern University
Artificial intelligence (AI) and data science are reshaping nearly every aspect of research, industry and society.
One of the most compelling examples of AI’s transformative power is in my field, astrophysics. My colleagues and I at Northwestern’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) have been advancing innovation at the intersection of AI and astrophysics for years, positioning the University as a leader in this area.
Northwestern’s ascent is reflected most recently in our leadership of the NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky (SkAI Institute). Jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation, the SkAI Institute will develop AI astronomy tools that will allow researchers to make breakthrough discoveries.
As founding director of the SkAI Institute, I have the privilege of bringing together astrophysicists and AI experts from 24 institutions — including 14 faculty members from across the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the McCormick School of Engineering — to develop cutting-edge machine learning techniques for analyzing vast astronomical datasets.
Continue to the full story.