AAAS and Chen Institute inaugurate new prize recognizing innovative applications of AI techniques

In collaboration with the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is announcing the establishment of the Chen Institute and Science Prize for Al Accelerated Research. Submissions are now open for the first year of the prize, which will be awarded in 2025.

The prize will recognize young researchers who apply techniques in artificial intelligence (AI) – such as machine learning, natural language processing, or computer vision – to help the life sciences research community solve important problems and accelerate their work. Successful applicants will have made a fundamental advance that would not have been feasible without using an Al-associated technique to augment the standard repertoire of methods in that field. Their results should inspire other researchers in the discipline to likewise take advantage of Al in enabling their future research.

“Science is delighted to be partnering with the Chen Institute on a new annual prize to honor major research advances that leverage artificial intelligence,” said Yury V. Suleymanov, senior editor at Science. “We seek to recognize approaches that are unexpected – either in fields where AI hasn’t been used, or where its use represents a new way of tackling a problem.”

The prize-winning approach should not simply be an extension of what a group had been exploring, said Suleymanov, but rather, it should represent an application of AI that opens opportunities for other researchers worldwide.

Early career scientists in fields related to artificial intelligence are encouraged to apply. All applicants will submit a 1,000-word essay detailing their most important research discoveries. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of USD 30,000. They will also receive a five-year AAAS membership and digital subscription to Science and have their winning essay published in Science, both in print and online.

The deadline for submissions is 13 December 2024. Instructions for how to apply can be found here.

The prize is funded by the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute (TCCI®), which was created in 2016 by Tianqiao Chen and his wife Chrissy Luo with a US $1 billion commitment to help advance brain science. The organization’s vision is to improve the human experience by understanding how our brains perceive, learn, and interact with the world.

“We’re very happy to unveil this prize, which will shine a light on novel applications of artificial intelligence that accelerate the pace of research in sciences,” said Chrissy Luo, Co-founder of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute. “This is a vital program which will foster innovation and celebrate advancements in AI that have the potential to transform research and ultimately improve lives.”