Schmidt Sciences

The inaugural Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings in association with Schmidt Science Fellows, is live! Explore the groundbreaking Rankings that redefine global research excellence here: https://lnkd.in/epSySqFF For the first time ever, academic institutions are being recognized for interdisciplinary science excellence, evaluated through detailed methodology and comprehensive data. This platform, the largest Rankings debut in Times Higher Education’s history,? will accelerate global progress in interdisciplinary research by championing best practice wherever it is found and by highlighting the trends and practices that are driving success. By developing relevant, clear, and measurable metrics for the Rankings, our intention is to help universities across the world track their progress in creating environments where interdisciplinary science can flourish. Dr. Megan Kenna, our Founding Executive Director, said: “This Ranking marks a pivotal step in advancing interdisciplinary research worldwide. “It provides institutions with critical insights to strengthen their efforts, learn from global leaders, and create environments where innovative thinking thrives. “ By championing interdisciplinary science, we are not only addressing today’s most pressing challenges but also empowering future generations to drive innovation and tackle the unknowns of tomorrow.” ?? Congratulations to Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the number one Ranking ?? Thank you to the 749 institutions across 92 countries who participated in the inaugural Rankings ?? Thank you to all who engaged with us over the past two years through roundtables, masterclasses, and workshops and helped us refine the approach. ?? Thank you to everyone at Times Higher Education, Phil Baty, Duncan Ross, Billy Wong, Sol R., Jhesselle Leonor and Dominic Garcia for bringing your rigor and expertise and making the Rankings a reality. We will continue this engagement as we strengthen the Rankings and next year’s work will evolve to reflect our learnings and suggestions from universities. The 2026 Interdisciplinary Science Ranking data collection cycle commences on Monday 13 January 2025. By embracing interdisciplinarity, universities are not only solving today’s most pressing challenges but paving the way for a brighter, more innovative future.

“To answer the world’s toughest questions – whether it’s scaling fusion energy or advancing quantum computing – we need to think differently," says Eric Schmidt, former ceo and co-founder of Google and co-founder of Schmidt Sciences. "The Interdisciplinary Science Ranking recognizes universities that are advancing the practice of science for the next century and beyond through new institutions, emerging technologies, and effective teaching.” My article on Times Higher Education's new Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, a partnership with Schmidt Science Fellows, for the World Economic Forum: https://lnkd.in/eWdtCX7K #THEUniRankings #THEISR #THEISF

Can AI revolutionize how we grow food? Benjamin Decardi-Nelson, a Schmidt Sciences AI in Science Fellow at Cornell University, is using AI to optimize indoor crop growth while reducing energy use. His research aims to make agriculture more sustainable and enhance global food security. The Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship aims to accelerate the next scientific revolution by applying AI to research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eGart9-C

How do coral reefs reveal their secrets? Beverly French, a Schmidt Sciences AI in Science Fellow, is using?AI to uncover patterns in reef ecosystems. By automating the time-consuming process of annotating coral images, her research frees scientists to focus on deeper ecological questions, accelerating progress in reef conservation. Learn more about the AI in Science Post Docs at UC San Diego: https://lnkd.in/eJGtXGEH Learn more about the AI in Science Program: https://lnkd.in/eGart9-C

Achieving a green economy hinges on transitioning from using petroleum to sustainable biomass, write Genevieve Croft, PhD (Schmidt Sciences) and John Reich (Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research) in Real Clear Science. Strategic investments in biotechnology and cross-sector partnerships can turn renewable biomass into valuable resources, creating jobs and reducing environmental impact. With the U.S. bioeconomy already valued at nearly $1 trillion, leveraging underutilized resources like agricultural residues and municipal waste could further support a circular economy that benefits industry, communities, and the environment alike. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d4t297E3

No spell required:?Schmidt Science Fellows?Anthony Waddle is conjuring warmth to beat back a deadly toad curse. Specially designed shelters could help endangered frogs survive the devastating impacts of a deadly disease by regulating their body temperature to fight off infections. Researchers at Macquarie University, led by Dr. Waddle have developed a “mini-med spa” for amphibians, using heat as a simple and effective way to help endangered frogs survive a devastating pandemic impacting multiple species. The research, published in the journal Nature, offers a potential lifeline for fast-declining populations like the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), which has disappeared from more than 90 per cent of its former native range in Australia. “In these simple little hotspots, frogs can go and heat up their bodies to a temperature that destroys the infections,” said Dr. Waddle. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eqm-CVKk #happyhalloween

Our Virtual Institute on Feedstocks of the Future (VIFF) recently brought together project teams and partners working to advance the transition toward a sustainable, circular bioeconomy. Participants explored ways to unlock the carbon potential of nontraditional biomass sources, focusing on solutions that reduce waste, enhance local economies, and improve supply chain resilience. Interdisciplinary discussions revealed opportunities for collaboration across biology, engineering, agriculture, and economics, laying the groundwork for turning the carbon we have into the carbon we want and driving the adoption of future feedstocks in bioproduction. Learn more about VIFF: https://lnkd.in/e9a3jzyC

Congratulations to the 24 winners of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications! As scientific knowledge grows deeper, and communication comes at us faster, science communicators help us slow down and understand our world better. The writers, podcasters, filmmakers and other storytellers honored with this year’s awards share a remarkable—and exclusively human—ability to cut through the noise, teach us and demonstrate how deeply connected we all are to each other and the world around us. The prize, now in its third year and awarded by Schmidt Sciences in partnership with the National Academies, recognizes science communicators who can translate some of the most complex topics in the world, from quantum computing to immunotherapy, so that many more people can comprehend our complex world. Especially in an election year, and in a year where extreme storms sparked damaging climate misinformation, we are grateful to all science communicators for sharing accurate stories. https://lnkd.in/gQRSBxrd

We’re thrilled to celebrate the 2024 winners of the National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications. Presented in partnership with the The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, these awards honor individuals whose creative and original work brings science, engineering, and medicine closer to the public. This year’s recipients “welcome everyone into science through their works, employing powerful storytelling, compelling insights, and humor to engage our imaginations and stir our hearts,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt. “The writers, podcasters, filmmakers, and other storytellers honored with this year’s awards share a remarkable — and exclusively human — ability to cut through the noise, teach us, and demonstrate how deeply connected we all are to each other and the world around us,” said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences. Learn more about the 2024 winners: https://lnkd.in/eGPh2QuE?

How hard is it to create robots in 2024? What has traditionally taken human engineers years to dream up, design, build, test and revise, can now be done in a matter of seconds using AI. Sam Kriegman, an AI2050 Early Career Fellow, is leveraging these advancements to create fully-biological, adaptive robots known as “xenobots” that can some day carry out useful work in the real world. “Say you want a robot that cleans up a polluted river in your town. What should your robot look like? What materials should be used to build it? Should it have limbs? Where? How many? What kind of sensors and motors should it have and where should they go? By 2050 you will be able to simply pose the design problem to an AI on your mobile device and see what it comes up with,” says Kriegman. Learn more about his work as an AI2050 fellow in our Q&A: https://lnkd.in/dHwyxtVa