"From Manhattan Project to 2.0 — scaling AI for science's next era."
AI is transforming how we ask and answer scientific questions—connecting data, simulation, and theory into a continuous engine of discovery. Breakthroughs will not simply come from bigger datasets, but from foundation models that understand science.
We pioneer the concept of Scientific Foundation Models (SciFMs)—a transformative framework that redefines how science is done, connecting computation, experimentation, and reasoning into one intelligent system. Foundation models accelerate simulation and analysis, autonomous agents coordinate large-scale HPC campaigns, and validated insights feed back to strengthen the models. Our mission is simple: shorten the path from idea to insight—reliably and at scale.
This effort started as an MICDE Initiative on Scientific Foundation Models in May 2023, and morphed into the Center for Foundation Models & AI Agents for Science in September 2024. We are supported by Los Alamos National Laboratory, NSF NAIRR, NVIDIA, OpenAI and Microsoft.
According to GPT-5, the words ‘Scientific Foundation Models’ first appeared on the internet in July 2023. If this is accurate, we were among the first to introduce this term.
We are a multidisciplinary team combining expertise in physics, chemistry, materials science, and computer science. Our group brings together PIs, postdocs, and students from Michigan, along with our collaborators across the globe, to build foundation models that are scalable and practically useful. We collaborate closely with domain experts to ensure models respect scientific constraints, are interpretable, and can be integrated directly into experimental and simulation workflows.
At SciFM, we envision a future where scientific discovery is accelerated by foundation models and AI — where computations don't just support research, but actively generate new knowledge and deliver direct solutions to today's most pressing challenges.
Explore our research, meet the team, and collaborate with us