Over $300,000 is invested by Penn State ICDS to Advance Scientific Advancements and Strengthen Faculty Knowledge
Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (Penn State ICDS)
In the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum sciences, the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) has granted 20 academics Upskilling Fellowships to University academics. Over $300,000 is being invested by the institute to help these faculty members advance their careers and acquire new competencies in these vital fields.
Through the academics Upskilling Fellowships program, Penn State professors will learn cutting-edge AI and quantum science to change research programs and foster multidisciplinary creativity. It aims to transform academics’ approaches to themes, opening new research, cooperation, and influence possibilities. It goes beyond simply providing learning resources.
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Fellowship Distribution and Educational Objectives
The institute is funding four fellowships that incorporate both AI and quantum sciences, two fellowships that are focused on quantum physics, and fourteen fellowships that are focused on artificial intelligence.
The program requires faculty members to create their own study plan aimed at becoming proficient in the subject they have selected. As part of this approach, they will learn how to use the hardware and software that is already available, investigate new technologies, become proficient in particular technologies or methods, and apply their newly acquired knowledge to their ongoing research projects.
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Penn State ICDS director Guido Cervone said it is “part of ICDS’ mission to create a space that empowers faculty, enables innovative collaborations, and accelerates scientific breakthroughs.” He said the program fosters a community interested in applying new approaches to fundamental research while giving faculty members the chance to take their time learning new abilities in AI and quantum sciences.
The fellows will gain knowledge of the fundamental ideas of each field and how they can be used in other fields of study, such as sustainability, health care, education, extended and virtual reality, and quantum computing. Faculty can position themselves for ground-breaking discoveries and improved competitiveness for outside funding by incorporating these cutting-edge technology.
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Reach of the Program and Faculty Assistance
The program covers faculty in eight colleges, seventeen departments, and three Penn State campuses: Hershey, Beaver, and University Park.
A wide range of assistance is provided to chosen fellows. During the spring of 2026, autumn of 2026, or spring of 2027, this includes a one-course teaching buyout to set up time for focused learning. Other resources, such money for conferences, training courses, and seminars, might be offered. Access to commercial quantum platforms or AI tools, compute credits on the Roar Collab system, and consulting time with the Penn State ICDS RISE team are additional benefits granted to fellows. Successful fellows are expected to attend peer meetings, present their experiences in reports and seminars, and provide educational resources to the ICDS community.
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The Views of Fellows
A dual fellowship concentrating on AI and quantum was chosen for Jia Li, a professor of computer science and statistics at the Eberly College of Science. She had a “genuine fascination with how quantum computing could change the way we think about computers and learning systems” . Li aims to create a clear knowledge of how quantum physics influences the difficulty of addressing different types of issues and leads to innovative approaches to computer architecture. Her practical goal is to investigate the potential applications of newly developed quantum-style algorithms in fields such as data analysis and machine learning.
In order to better understand how AI tools work and how these approaches may be incorporated across many research paths in her profession, associate professor of education Priya Sharma was chosen for an AI-focused fellowship. Sharma wrote, “I hope to understand how I can become a better and more informed consumer about AI and how it can be integrated into teaching and learning, keeping ethics and responsible use at the centre of all of my research” . She wants to learn more about machine learning for educational data mining, huge language models and AI integration, and human-centered designs of all AI systems. At the nexus of AI and learning, she intends to use her expertise to advise students studying education.
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Chosen Departments and Fellows
Faculty from the College of Engineering, Eberly College of Science, Education, Liberal Arts, IST, Medicine, and Earth and Mineral Sciences participate.
Selected AI-focused fellows include
- College of Engineering assistant professor of mechanical engineering Amrita Basak
- Penn State ICDS co-hire Dana Calacci, who is an assistant professor at the College of IST studying informatics and intelligent systems
- Associate professor of psychology at the College of the Liberal Arts, Christopher Daryl Cameron
- College of the Liberal Arts political science lecturer Sona Golder
- Xianbiao Hu, a civil and environmental engineering associate professor at the College of Engineering
- Yuqing Hu, an architectural engineering assistant professor at the College of Engineering
- Prasanna Karunanayaka, faculty member at the College of Medicine’s radiology, public health services, neurology, and experimental therapeutics departments
- Penn State Beaver’s Nima Khodakarami, assistant professor of health policy and management
- Thomas V. and Jean C. Falkie Mining Faculty Fellow Ashish Kumar, assistant professor of mining engineering at the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
- At the College of Engineering, Bin Li is an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science and engineering.
- Shimin Liu is the Deike Chair Professor in Mining Engineering in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. She also teaches energy and mineral engineering.
- The College of Education’s associate professor of education, Priya Sharma
- Co-hired by Penn State ICDS and an assistant professor of education at the College of Education is Ellen “Wenting” Zou.
- Wangda Zuo, a College of Engineering professor of architectural engineering
Those chosen to focus on quantum are:
- The professor of informatics and intelligent systems at the College of IST, Vasant Honavar, was co-hired by Penn State ICDS.
- Victor Sparrow, professor of acoustics at the College of Engineering, United Technologies Corporation
- Selected fellows with a dual concentration in AI and quantum are:
- Dezhe Jin, an associate physics professor at Eberly College of Science
- Mia Jin, an assistant professor at the College of Engineering, specialises in nuclear engineering
- Professor of computer science and statistics at Eberly College of Science, Jia Li
- The physics professor at Eberly College of Science, Chaoxing Liu
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