Rutgers University-New Brunswick has announced a significant commitment towards artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, with a $10 million investment aimed at bolstering its research capabilities and positioning the university as a leader in these technologically advanced fields. This investment, which is the culmination of over a year of strategic planning, marks a pivotal move toward enhancing both academic and practical applications in AI and data science.
Central to this initiative is the creation of the Rutgers Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (RAD) Collaboratory. The RAD Collaboratory is envisioned as a virtual hub that brings together researchers, students, and external partners to foster innovation and development in AI and data science. This collaboratory will assist Rutgers in pursuing federal and state funding and will also engage with industry leaders to further its mission.
Francine Conway, Chancellor of Rutgers-New Brunswick, highlighted the purpose of the RAD Collaboratory as a new avenue for interdisciplinary collaboration that spans public and private sectors. She expressed confidence that the initiative will lead to new discoveries and practical applications that would ultimately benefit society. Denise Hien, Senior Vice Provost for Research and one of the architects of the plan, emphasized that by integrating internal and external intellectual communities, RAD is expected to attract substantial interdisciplinary funding.
Stephen Burley, Interim Director of RAD, will oversee the collaboratory's operations. Burley is well-versed in the potential of combining data science with AI, having seen its impact in the biological and medical sciences. Under his leadership, the RAD will aim to capitalize on the diverse expertise and vast digital resources available at Rutgers, supporting scholarly endeavours across a wide spectrum of disciplines, from agriculture to zoology.
The planning for this transformative initiative began in the previous fall when Hien established the Provost Strategic Task Force on Cyberinfrastructure and Data Science. This task force, comprising faculty members from 11 different schools and centres within the university, was tasked with reimagining the trajectory of AI and data science education and research at Rutgers. Support from deans across various schools, including the Schools of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Communication and Information, and Environmental and Biological Sciences, was crucial in moulding the collaboratory’s focus and objectives.
As part of the wider strategy, Rutgers will introduce new interdisciplinary research projects and two student research programmes centred on AI and data science. The university also plans to enhance its curriculum by integrating AI into classroom learning, a process that will be spearheaded by Saundra Tomlinson-Clark, Rutgers New Brunswick's Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
The university also plans to enhance its faculty base through the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Cluster Hire, aiming to recruit experts in these fields. Additionally, the Office of Advanced Research Computing and the Office of Information Technology will play critical roles in managing investments related to cyberinfrastructure.
Dimitris Metaxas, a Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Computational Biomedicine Imaging and Modeling, commented on the initiative's potential to propel Rutgers to a leadership position in AI. He noted the importance of treating AI as a multidisciplinary endeavour, acknowledging its evolution towards a human-centred approach.
Through these efforts, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is set on a path toward becoming a centralised hub for innovation and leadership in the rapidly advancing sectors of AI and data science.
Source: Noah Wire Services