Science-Informed Artificial Intelligence

Cluster Goals

As the US government seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chains, it is also making enormous investments in research and development to gain and sustain leadership in artificial intelligence. At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, experts in the mathematics, sciences, and engineering disciplines of AI have joined forces to seize this unique opportunity to advance these national priorities, starting here in Tennessee. 

The vision of UT’s Science-Informed AI cluster is to lead in these areas by advancing science-informed AI in intelligent engineering systems. We will focus specifically on innovations within additive manufacturing and hypersonic defense. These systems, which align with the university’s strengths and priorities, generate multimodal, multiphysics data that challenges today’s state-of-the-art AI.

We will address the grand challenge of developing foundational multiscale, multimodal models for AI that respect the physical laws and chemical properties governing underlying processes. We’re taking up this challenge as we build a critical mass of high-caliber researchers ready to lead multi-investigator, multimillion-dollar projects—and ready to make an impact in Tennessee and beyond.

Cutting-Edge Collaboration

We’re connecting experienced leaders and rising stars from fields including: 

• Mathematics and statistics
• Data science and machine learning
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Industrial and systems engineering
• Mechanical and aerospace engineering
• Computational sciences
• Quantum computing

Why UT?

This cluster is driving AI innovation by integrating science principles with a focus on transforming smart manufacturing and hypersonic systems—key areas that resonate with the university’s long-term vision. By advancing expertise in these high-impact fields, the cluster aims to propel UT to the forefront of innovation, creating bold opportunities for faculty to shape the future and redefine what’s possible.

Partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UT is transforming Tennessee into a hub for advanced materials and manufacturing. The cluster will leverage world-class resources at UT’s Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and collaborate with the Ohio State’s Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing, Moving from Evolution to Revolution (HAMMER) Engineering Research Center. Additionally, UT Knoxville’s cutting-edge lab upgrades, funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory, will position the university at the forefront of defense hypersonic systems research.

In tandem with the Foundational AI cluster, the cluster will enhance UT’s leadership in AI research, education, and workforce development. Collaborating with the UT –Oak Ridge Innovation Institute and the UT-led AI Tennessee Initiative, we will create a powerful framework for impactful research and innovation.

Looking forward, the cluster aims to extend its collaborations into neutron sciences, health sciences, and other fields, leveraging AI to address global challenges and solidifying UT’s role as a leader in transformative research.