UC San Diego Electrical Engineering Professor Honored by Schmidt Sciences for AI Research

Article Content

University of California San Diego electrical and computer engineering professor Yuanyuan Shi has been named a 2024 AI2050 Early Career Fellow by Schmidt Sciences. Shi is one of just 20 faculty to be named AI2050 Early Career Fellow in the 2024 cohort. She is the only faculty member in the UC system to receive this honor this year.

This honor recognizes Shi’s pioneering work in developing AI and control models for sustainable energy systems–particularly, AI-driven building control systems designed to optimize indoor air quality while reducing energy consumption. 

Buildings represent a significant opportunity for achieving global sustainability goals. They account for 40% of global energy consumption and over one-third of total carbon emissions. At the same time, indoor air quality in buildings has a profound impact on human health and well-being, since people spend the vast majority of their time in various building spaces. Shi’s research addresses both of these concerns through innovative AI models that are designed to balance the occupants’ thermal comfort with air quality and building energy consumption.

“Buildings are more than static structures–they are dynamic spaces that directly impact human lives and our environment,” said Shi. “Partial differential equation (PDE) models are essential for indoor climate and air quality modeling, but real-time control of nonlinear PDE systems remains a significant challenge for both ML and control communities. For large office buildings with hundreds of rooms, accurate simulation of the PDE models can take days. AI provides the critical acceleration that enables fast indoor climate and air quality modeling and simulation. We also hope to explore the use of the learned dynamics for real-time control in this project. The proposed PDE modeling and control tools also have the potential to be generalized to other large-scale systems, such as climate modeling and power grid transient dynamics.”

The AI2050 program by Schmidt Sciences asks researchers to imagine the year 2050, where AI has been hugely beneficial, and to pursue projects that help society realize this.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform our lives for the better, particularly by accelerating scientific progress in profound ways,” said Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and co-founder with his wife Wendy of Schmidt Sciences. “While the benefits of AI can far outweigh the challenges, realizing this potential requires thoughtful action today. We look forward to seeing how the 2024 AI2050 fellows help shape a future where AI serves the greater good.”

Schmidt Sciences is a philanthropic organization that accelerates scientific knowledge and breakthroughs to support a thriving world. Founded in 2024, Schmidt Sciences brings together the science-focused efforts of Eric and Wendy Schmidt, whose philanthropy works toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. The organization prioritizes research in six focus areas poised for revolutionary impact: AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, science systems and space.

Read the press release from Schmidt Sciences here.

Learn more about research and education at UC San Diego in: Artificial Intelligence