This story is part of an AI series looking at how WSU is driving innovation in research and teaching through artificial intelligence. View the entire series as it becomes available.
Add “saving salmon” to the long list of challenges Washington State University researchers are using AI to tackle.
An investment of $50 million for WSU in the new federal budget will lay the foundation for the development of a scientific research center to advance precision aquaculture in the Pacific Northwest.
The funding will support major research infrastructure investments at WSU’s Pullman campus and the Puyallup Research & Extension Center. It will also jump-start the creation of a regional hub that integrates AI science to address complex challenges, such as improving the health of Pacific salmon, advancing sustainable aquaculture, and protecting the state’s waterways.
WSU is working to build on its foundation in AI expertise system-wide to expand scientific inquiry and address key problems for Washingtonians. Research institutions, state and federal government, and the tech industry in Washington are fast-tracking new AI initiatives to speed research and the development of applications, create partnerships, and build computing capacity.
According to Kim Christen, vice president for research, WSU is charting its AI future by exploring partnerships, focusing on high-impact national initiatives, and prioritizing areas where Washington residents and businesses can benefit most.
“We’re looking at where WSU’s strengths align with federal, state, tribal, and industry needs,” Christen said. “We are actively seeking out collaborations that have the most impact for our economy, that benefit the health of our communities, and that secure our energy future.”
We are actively seeking out collaborations that have the most impact for our economy, that benefit the health of our communities, and that secure our energy future.Kim Christen, vice president for research
Washington State University
One key area to watch: WSU’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The university and PNNL collaborate on critical research for the region, combining efforts to advance knowledge in nuclear science, grid systems and security, and bioproducts. Faculty members across the system are co-affiliated with both institutions, and more than 800 WSU alumni work at PNNL.
That puts WSU and PNNL in prime position as the federal government launches an effort to build the AI infrastructure of tomorrow through its Genesis Mission. That project, announced last fall, will connect the DOE’s 17 national laboratories, weaving the world’s best supercomputers and AI systems into “the most complex and powerful scientific instrument ever built.”
The three primary goals of the mission are protecting the energy future with research in nuclear science, fusion and energy grid modernization; advancing scientific discovery; and safeguarding national security.
Those priorities fit neatly into WSU’s portfolio of high-impact research strengths. The new platform created by the project will change how science is done, decentralize the AI infrastructure, speed up computing, and promote deep collaborations, observed Christen.
“Industry and university partnerships are going to grow out of this vast infrastructure the federal government is building through the Department of Energy labs,” she said. “From a shared investment in AI infrastructure, everyone benefits. And, as we set our shared priorities with PNNL for the next biennium, AI is a key focus.”
Washington state has a concentration of experience and resources to drive innovations — research institutions like WSU and PNNL, industry giants like Amazon and Microsoft, and concentrated state and federal government efforts. Microsoft, for example, is sponsoring several projects to advance AI science, give teachers and students access to AI tools, and partner with research institutions. The company has supported several WSU projects through its AI for Good Lab, including an initiative to create a rural AI road map for K–12 schools.
State government is also looking ahead. A task force on AI in the Attorney General’s Office is studying how AI is being used across a range of subjects and weighing policy approaches to guide and regulate its use.
Given such widespread attention from so many quarters, forming partnerships and coordinating efforts will be a high priority. Christen said forming coalitions in Washington state to coordinate and strategize will maximize our investments and drive change.
“We are working with our research and industry partners across the state to build a vision for the state that we can deliver on — and WSU will be at the forefront of making that vision a reality.”