Original URL: https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/news/releases/20241213
McDonald Observatory, December 13, 2024
The University of Texas at Austin joined the Giant Magellan Telescope today in announcing that Northwestern University has joined its international consortium to construct the $2.54 billion observatory.
Home to the world-renowned Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and the newly founded NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky (SkAI), Northwestern is at the forefront of advancing astrophysical research. Northwestern researchers will develop and apply cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance the Giant Magellan Telescope’s capabilities, enabling it to search for Earth-like planets across the Milky Way, investigate the universe’s most energetic explosions, and explore the intricate relationship between galaxies and black holes.
“Northwestern University’s strength in AI, astrophysics, and engineering innovation makes them an important addition to our consortium,” said Walter Massey, Board Chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope and former Director of the National Science Foundation. “Their involvement further establishes the Giant Magellan Telescope as the telescope of choice for America’s top universities, now spanning institutions across Arizona, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. This collaboration reflects a nationwide commitment to advancing astronomy and cementing U.S. leadership in manufacturing and scientific discovery.” To read more, see https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/news/releases/20241213
The SkAI Institute is one of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Simons Foundation.
Information on National AI Institutes is available at aiinstitutes.org.
