By Emily Ayshford and Marie Bejarano

Cross-institutional partnership propels global research in AI and quantum science


 UChicago expands relationship with Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel

The University of Chicago and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel will support collaborative research in quantum information sciences and artificial intelligence, in a partnership that also includes the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago.

This expanded partnership builds on the existing Marshall and Arlene Bennett Family Research Program, which funds research between UChicago and the Weizmann Institute of Science in life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Led by UChicago’s Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives, the partnership will prioritize new research that leverages AI for new discoveries in biology and materials science, and it will promote fundamental discoveries in quantum information sciences and engineering. The collaboration among institutions has the potential to build solutions that can scale globally to benefit humanity. 

In a first step, the expanded partnership has awarded more than $1 million in research funding for three collaborative projects that advance the scientific domain and have significant impact in science and technology and travel grants for three additional research teams. Research topics for the funded projects include applications of artificial intelligence in medicine and materials science, as well as quantum information sciences with applications to communication networks.

“The University of Chicago’s commitment to scholarly work that shapes and defines fields of study is strengthened through international and cross-institutional collaborations like this,” said University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos. “The Weizmann Institute of Science is a world-class partner, and together we can forge a much deeper understanding of the foundations of data science and artificial intelligence and develop new beneficial uses.” 

“The Weizmann Institute has a long history of international collaborations that have inspired scientists to make a collective impact on global challenges,” said Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute. “We look forward to continue to partner with the University of Chicago to combine our strengths in this new era of artificial intelligence and quantum science.”

Read more at UChicago.