University of Delaware Launches First State AI Institute

The University of Delaware (UD) is taking a groundbreaking step in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) with the launch of the First State AI Institute. This pioneering initiative, led by internationally recognized expert Dr. Sunita Chandrasekaran, aims to advance an open, human-centered vision of AI, rooted in transparency, accountability, and the public good.

Advancing AI with Transparency and Accountability

At a time when AI is often developed behind closed doors, generating “black box” systems that obscure decision-making processes, UD is taking a different approach. The First State AI Institute will develop practical tools to help researchers analyze data and streamline complex tasks, while also exploring how AI can improve campus operations.

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UD President Dennis Assanis expressed his enthusiasm for the new institute, stating, “This pioneering initiative represents a major step forward in our commitment to advancing AI and applying it in ways that can truly transform the University. The institute has the potential to become a national model for how AI can be used to drive research and strengthen the infrastructure that supports it.”

Strategic Location and Resources

The institute will operate from the FinTech Innovation Hub on UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus. This strategic location is near two of UD’s major AI resources: the Data Science Institute and the AI Center of Excellence. These resources will serve as the institute’s anchor for research efforts, expanding UD’s AI footprint both on campus and in national conversations about the future of science, education, and technology.

Open-Source and Transparent Solutions

Dr. Chandrasekaran, who holds the David L. and Beverly J.C. Mills Career Development Chair in UD’s Department of Computer and Information Sciences, emphasized the institute’s focus on developing open-source and transparent solutions. “We want AI to serve people, not mystify or displace them. And this approach will enable us to be on the cutting edge,” she said.

Leveraging UD’s proven track record in high-performance computing (HPC) systems, the institute will build and design specialized AI hardware, ensuring trustworthiness, data security, and privacy. The institute will also support teaching, research, and administrative services.

Building a Robust Talent Pipeline

The initiative will lean on a growing team of Research Software Engineers (RSEs), a new class of professionals who help translate scientific goals into usable code and algorithms. Chandrasekaran leads the Democratizing Access to Research Software Engineering (DARSE) program, funded by the National Science Foundation, which aims to build a robust talent pipeline of RSEs for the research workforce.

“Some scholars may not realize how AI could accelerate their work,” Chandrasekaran noted. “A big goal is to simply open that door for them — to sit down and explore the possibilities, and the RSEs will play a key role.”

Improving University Operations

The institute also plans to explore AI applications for improving university operations, such as building a “compliance checker” for research proposals that can flag missing components or formatting issues before submission. However, Chandrasekaran remains clear-eyed about AI’s limits. “All the hype makes it sound like your job will disappear tomorrow. That’s just not the case. Humans absolutely must stay in the loop — especially when many models are trained on unknown or unreliable data. We’re building systems where trust, transparency, and oversight are baked in.”

Dynamic Leadership

Chandrasekaran is internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of AI and high-performance computing. Her expertise includes orchestrating large-scale hackathons and leading international teams in stress-testing plasma physics software for use on Frontier, the world’s first exascale computer, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Her students at UD have helped code and test other software tools now used on Frontier, which can complete over one quintillion calculations a second, accelerating research in areas ranging from medicine to deep space exploration.

In addition to her role as co-director of UD’s AI Center of Excellence alongside colleague Kathleen McCoy, Chandrasekaran serves as vice chair of Delaware’s AI Commission and advises the U.S. Department of Energy as a member of its Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee.

“Dr. Chandrasekaran is a dynamic leader who is helping shape the future of scientific research through artificial intelligence,” said Miguel Garcia-Diaz, UD’s vice president for research, scholarship, and innovation. “With expertise in computer hardware design and AI software development, coupled with a deep commitment to using AI ethically to improve people’s lives, she is the perfect choice to lead the First State AI Institute at the University of Delaware.”

The institute’s leadership team also includes Rudi Eigenmann, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and John Huffman, director of IT-Research Infrastructure. Two RSEs have already joined the team, including Kevin Bhimani, who started at UD last month after receiving a doctorate in physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “This position really translates very well to what I want to do — you are solving problems, whatever the field,” Bhimani said. “I have always been very curious, and I just love learning. Helping people find solutions — that’s very rewarding.”

For more information, contact the First State AI Institute via this email. A website is under development.