NRT AI: Artificial intelligence for Changing Climate and Environmental SuStainability (ACCESS)

摘要气候变化是一个紧迫的问题，对社会福祉具有重大影响，特别是对弱势群体。与气候有关的极端事件，如飓风、洪水、干旱、热浪、野火等，在世界各地正在升级。基于机器学习（ML）的人工智能（AI）方法在减少和应对气候变化方面显示出巨大的希望。然而，气候变化研究分散在不同的学科（计算机科学、数据科学、人工智能、地球科学、环境科学和工程）中。这延缓了更好地了解气候变化影响和ML/AI解决方案的进展。这项授予摩根州立大学的国家科学基金会研究培训奖将为来自少数族裔的学生提供实质性的、实际操作的研究经验，这些学生可以使用跨学科的方法解决重大的环境挑战。该项目将培养50名博士研究生，其中包括25名来自不同领域（生物环境科学、计算机科学、土木工程、数学、电气和计算机工程）的博士生，他们具备技术、动态跨学科和专业技能，以负责任的方式解决气候变化的重大挑战。该实习项目非常重视对气候变化的综合研究方法，这是21世纪的紧迫挑战。主要研究工作将集中在三个领域：a)水再利用的人工智能；b)新出现的污染物和ML/AI预测；c)疾病生态学、气候变化和人工智能。该项目由环境化学家、环境科学家、计算机科学家、工程师组成的跨学科团队组成，专注于研究、教育和职业发展活动。在五年的时间里，职业和科学活动将包括：a)指导研究论文；B)高级实验课程；C)一系列关于领导能力、科学伦理和科学传播技巧的专业讲习班；D)国内实习机会；E)关于气候变化及其解决办法的夏季讲习班；f)国际研究实习。学员将以团队合作的方式解决现实世界的环境挑战，并邀请杰出演讲者参加研讨会和专业发展活动，这些都有助于营造一个友好、合作、包容的积极学习环境。结果将是一批来自STEM领域历史上代表性不足的群体的学生，他们具有强大的多学科背景，并了解人工智能如何为气候变化、环境污染和水质管理提供解决方案。目标是为所有受训者提供一个有益的机会，让他们在摩根州立大学的不同教师和博士后的指导下进行新颖的、动手的公民科学研究。第二个主要目标是提高少数族裔学生的参与度，激发他们在STEM领域追求未来职业的兴趣。美国国家科学基金会研究实习生（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的、具有潜在变革性的STEM研究生教育培训新模式。该项目致力于通过创新、循证、适应不断变化的劳动力和研究需求的综合培训模式，在高优先级跨学科或融合研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。  该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

AbstractClimate change is a pressing issue with major implications for societal well-being, particularly for disadvantaged communities. Climate-related extreme events such as hurricanes, flooding, drought, heatwaves, wildfires are escalating around the world. Machine-learning (ML) based Artificial-Intelligence (AI) approaches have shown great promise in reducing and responding to changing climate. However, climate change research is fractionated in diverse disciplines (computer science, data science, AI, geosciences, environmental science, and engineering). This delays the progress towards a better understanding of the impacts of climate change and ML/AI solutions. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship award to the Morgan State University will provide substantive, hands-on research experience for students from underrepresented minority populations who can tackle grand environmental challenges using interdisciplinary methods. The traineeship will prepare 50 PhD students including 25 funded trainees from diverse fields (bio-environmental science, computer science, civil engineering, mathematics, electrical and computer engineering) with technical, dynamic interdisciplinary and professional skills to responsibly solve grand climate change challenges.The traineeship program places a strong emphasis on a convergence research approach to climate change, which is a pressing 21st century challenge. Major research efforts will focus on three areas: a) AI for water reuse; b) emerging contaminants and ML/AI prediction; and c) disease ecology, climate change and AI. The program consists of an interdisciplinary team of environmental chemists, environmental scientists, computer scientists, engineers to focus on research, educational, and career development activities. Over a five-year period, the career and scientific activities will include: a) mentored research thesis; b) advanced experimental courses; c) a series of professional workshops on leadership, scientific ethic, and science communication skills; d) domestic internship opportunities; e) summer workshops on changing climate and solutions; and f) international research internships. Trainees will work in teams to solve real-world environmental challenges, and a seminar with invited distinguished speakers and professional development activities will all help to foster a friendly and collaborative inclusive positive learning environment. The outcome will be a cohort of students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields with a strong multidisciplinary background and understanding of how AI can provide solutions for changing climate, environmental pollution, and water quality management. The goal is to provide a rewarding opportunity for all trainees to conduct novel, hands-on citizen science research at Morgan State under the guidance of diverse faculty and postdocs. A second major goal is to increase the participation of students from minority groups and stimulate their interest to pursue future careers in the STEM fields.The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.  This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.