Fall 2025 Strategic Convene and Influence Awardees
GAIA – A Campus Collaboration for AI-Driven Climate and Ocean Research
PI: Duncan Watson-Parris, Assistant Professor, SIO & HDSI
Co-PI: Rose Yu, Associate Professor, Computer Science & Engineering
The GAIA Initiative will unite UC San Diego researchers and students to advance artificial intelligence applications in Earth, climate and ocean science. Through interdisciplinary workshops, the project will identify opportunities for AI-driven innovation, shared infrastructure needs, and educational enhancements in these areas. A culminating white paper will outline a vision for a campus-wide research center, forming the scope and foundation for a planned NSF Science and Technology Center application.
Emergent Science-Policy Issues Around Climate Geoengineering Proposals
PI: Katherine Ricke, Associate Professor, Global Policy & Strategy / SIO
Co-PI: Nicolas Lutsko, Associate Professor, SIO
This project will explore how UC San Diego can address key scientific and policy uncertainties surrounding climate geoengineering. A cross-disciplinary workshop will convene experts to assess the physical, geopolitical, and ethical dimensions of geoengineering and the role of AI in this emerging field. The effort will produce a white paper and three policy briefs proposing UC San Diego-led research and governance solutions to guide responsible climate intervention strategies.
Seafood as Catalyst – Bridging Climate, Ocean Conservation, Nutrition, and the Human Dimensions of Food from the Sea
PI: Jennifer Smith, Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Co-PI: Bradley Moore, Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Marine Biomedicine
Seafood as Catalyst aims to develop sustainable, nutritious, and equitable approaches to feeding a growing global population through ocean-based food systems. The initiative will convene cross-campus experts to integrate marine biodiversity, conservation, and human health research. Leveraging UC San Diego’s Kwok Family Innovation Kitchen, the project will produce a framework for advancing marine food systems that protect oceans, honor traditional practices, and enhance global food security.
SMASH – Accelerating Cosmic Breakthroughs Through AI at UC San Diego
PI: Floor Broekgaarden, Assistant Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics
Co-PI: Aobo Li, Assistant Professor, HDSI
SMASH seeks to accelerate discovery in the physical sciences by advancing trustworthy and interpretable AI tools for data-intensive research. The initiative will cultivate an interdisciplinary community focused on applying AI and machine learning to cosmic and physical phenomena through seminars, hackathons, and unconference events. This collaboration will expand UC San Diego’s leadership in AI-driven scientific discovery and train a new generation of data-fluent researchers.
Breath, Brain, and Body — Integrating Science for Whole-Person Health
PI: Tatum Simonson, Associate Professor, Medicine
Co-PI: Benjamin Smarr, Associate Professor, Bioengineering / HDSI
This initiative will integrate neuroscience, bioengineering, medicine, and mindfulness to examine how breathing influences brain function, emotion, and overall health. The project aims to clarify the mechanisms linking respiration to pain, stress, sleep, and cardiometabolic outcomes by connecting expertise across diverse disciplines and developing new wearable and analytical tools. The effort will foster community engagement and position UC San Diego as a national leader in whole-person health research.
Informing Policy and Research for Binational Higher Education
PI: Kelly Nielsen, Assistant Director, Center for Research and Evaluation
Co-PI: Olivia Graeve, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
This project will convene policymakers, educators, and researchers to strengthen binational higher education in the California-Baja region. Focusing on the implementation of Assembly Bill 91, which facilitates cross-border college enrollment, the initiative will examine barriers and best practices for Mexican national students in the U.S. The resulting policy and research reports will guide future institutional planning and position UC San Diego as a thought leader in cross-border education.