NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

The world of artificial intelligence is changing the way people live, work and think. This new frontier is also shifting the world of scientific research and has led the U.S. National Science Foundation to launch the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource pilot. Tess deBlanc-Knowles, NSF special assistant to the director for AI, discusses developing safe and responsible A.I. and how it is impacting new discoveries.

To advance the understanding of complex living systems, research must have an integration of scientific disciplines. Pankaj Jaiswal, a program officer in the U.S. National Science Foundation Division of Integrative Organismal Systems' Plant Genome Research Program, and Robyn Smyth, a program director in the NSF Division of Environmental Biology's Ecosystem Science Cluster, discuss plant genomes and water systems research.

An interagency effort has crafted a document to support the entire artificial intelligence research ecosystem, from foundational discoveries to societal applications. Jillian Mammino, a contractor at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Mary Beech, director of workers and technology policy in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy; and Craig Jolley, a senior data scientist in the Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation at the U.S. Agency for International Development discuss the Global AI Research Agenda.

Plastics are foundational in modern life, but only a fraction of those produced are recycled. WashU researchers Arpita Bose, associate professor of biology; Eric Conners, a graduate student; and Tahina Ranaivoarisoa, a lab manager in the Bose Lab, discuss purple bacteria and how they might be used to produce biodegradable bioplastics.

An interagency effort has crafted a document to serve as a starting point to align an international artificial intelligence research vision. Michael Littman, the division director of the U.S. National Science Foundation Information and Intelligent Systems in the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and Joshua E. Porterfield, a Federation of American Scientists Impact Fellow in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies discuss the Global Artificial Intelligence Research Agenda.

Engineering is critical in modern society, from building bridges and homes to designing computers and life-saving medical devices. Nehemiah Mabry, a structural engineer and host of the NSF-supported series “Building Stuff with NOVA,” discusses streaming the live show every weekday and how it engages its audience through engineering news, games and interviews.

Imaging is central to biology and medicine, but light refracts and scatters as it hits tissues and lipids. Zihao Ou, associate professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, discusses his paper demonstrating a new technique to achieve optical transparency in live tissue, a project he worked on in Guosong Hong's research group as a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.

At the U.S. National Science Foundation Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure Wall of Wind Experimental Facility, researchers seek to better understand wind effects on civil infrastructure systems and to prevent wind hazards from becoming community disasters. Arindam Chowdhury, director and principal investigator at the facility, discusses hurricane-force winds and how they are studied.

People who enjoy birdwatching can provide valuable citizen science observation. An application called Merlin Bird ID can help users of all experience levels. Miyoko Chu, senior director of communications at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, discusses Merlin Bird ID, its development, and how new features have impacted birding and conservation efforts.

A quantum-educated workforce will be essential in the future; however, most students are not introduced to quantum mechanics until taking physics courses late into their college careers. Karen Jo Matsler, assistant professor at The University of Texas at Arlington,  joins to discuss the Quantum for All initiative to expose K-12 students to the principles of quantum mechanics.