The DOE has announced plans to provide $30 million for new research that uses modern data science approaches to accelerate discovery in energy-related chemistry and materials sciences.

National laboratories, universities, nonprofits, and companies will be eligible to apply for the three-year awards, which will be selected via peer review. The Basic Energy Sciences program in the DOE’s Office of Science, which is funding the effort, hopes to give awards to both single investigators and small groups.

Data science combines computer science, applied math and statistics with specific fields of science to discover new knowledge from complex data sets. This initiative seeks proposals that focus on innovative applications of modern data science approaches to understand processes and mechanisms in complex energy-relevant chemical and materials systems.

Planned funding for 2019 is $10 million – additional funding is contingent on congressional appropriations.

“Data science tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to profoundly change how scientific research is conducted,” said DOE Undersecretary Paul Dabbar. “This initiative ensures that America will remain on the cutting edge of breakthroughs in chemical and materials sciences critical for the nation’s energy and economic security.”

Source: US Department of Energy