AI4Research

Background and purpose

The research fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are growing and developing rapidly on a global scale. Research in these areas will have a large, but currently unforeseeable, impact on future society and the everyday lives of all individuals. Uppsala University has an opportunity to offer research of the highest quality that can contribute to understanding and contributing to the development of AI/ML in its scientific and societal context.

The five-year project is tasked with renewing, strengthening and further developing research in AI/ML by bringing together researchers in a common location during internal sabbatical periods, while remaining part-time at their home institutions, creating collaborative spaces, building confidence-building networks and disseminating ideas around AI and ML research. This is not only an opportunity for the individual researchers and research groups to advance the research frontier, but also a way to contribute to the University's renewal and strengthened competitiveness.

Uppsala University strives for research excellence across a broad spectrum of sciences with the ultimate aim of achieving a better world. AI4Science will contribute to this by inspiring multidisciplinary projects that can explore and expand the opportunities that AI/ML offers to the sciences.

AI4Research will have a physical location in a central position on the Uppsala University campus, preliminarily Carolina Rediviva. The project starts on 1 January 2020 and ends on 31 December 2024.

Objectives

AI4Research will give established researchers in the University's various scientific fields an opportunity to be active for a period in an environment where everyone is researching various aspects of AI for the sciences. The goal of the project is to both increase the quantity of research and education conducted on AI/ML at Uppsala University but also, and at least as importantly, to strengthen the quality of the same.

Project organisation

AI4Research is a university-wide joint project where the vice-rectors are responsible for follow-up and evaluation of the project as well as funding through the operational plans. The vice-rectors may also, in consultation with each other, amend these project directives during the course of the project.

The steering group consists of two representatives per scientific area appointed by the respective area board. Members are elected for three years and can be re-elected to serve the full five-year project period.

A scientific leader leads the operational activities of AI4Research. The Scientific Director is appointed jointly by the three Vice-Rectors for the entire five-year project period.

A Project Coordinator works in close cooperation with the Scientific Director and will be the hub of the day-to-day operations. The project coordinator is appointed for the full five-year duration of the project.

A review group evaluates and ranks applications for sabbatical funding. The group consists of active researchers from all scientific disciplines and is appointed by the Steering Committee. The members, who are elected for three years, can be re-elected to serve the entire five-year project period.