AI Goes Nuclear
Two University of South Carolina researchers are putting artificial intelligence to work on problems considerably bigger than writing emails faster: nuclear waste, particle physics and the future of scientific discovery.
AI Meets Some Very Serious Science
Mechanical engineering professor Sourav Banerjee and physics professor David Tedeschi have received grants through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission, a national initiative designed to use artificial intelligence to accelerate research in energy, science and national security.
USC was the only institution in South Carolina with multiple projects selected, with the two researchers chosen from thousands of applications nationwide.
Banerjee’s project, AI-STRATA3D, combines artificial intelligence with physics-based modeling to help experts evaluate potential nuclear waste disposal sites more quickly and reliably. The goal is serious and practical: improve decisions about where nuclear waste can be stored while reducing risks to land and water.
Tedeschi is taking AI somewhere very different. His work uses AI agents in particle astrophysics, where they can monitor experiments, run simulations, create databases, execute programs and handle documentation. That could free researchers from some of the repetitive work surrounding complex experiments while allowing them to focus more attention on the science itself.
Building the Research Infrastructure Around It
The grants fit into a broader AI push already underway at USC. The university’s Artificial Intelligence Institute brings together research across disciplines, while the Garnet AI Foundry serves as a university-wide hub for AI tools, training and collaboration.
That combination matters for South Carolina because the state already has deep ties to nuclear energy, manufacturing and advanced engineering. Pairing those industries with AI research creates another layer of opportunity for students, faculty and employers looking toward the next generation of technical work.
USC is also planning a Nuclear Innovation Center focused on research, manufacturing and workforce development, giving the university another foothold where advanced computing and nuclear technology can meet.
The larger story is less about AI replacing researchers and more about giving them better tools. In this case, those tools may help scientists make safer nuclear-storage decisions, manage complicated experiments and move through mountains of scientific work more efficiently.
For more South Carolina colleges, research programs and specialized training opportunities, explore the Guide to South Carolina directory at https://guidetosouthcarolina.com/college-specialized-training.