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Duke taps Indian-origin scientists for AI program
Indian-origin researchers join separate Duke-led teams awarded federal funding for artificial intelligence research projects.
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Pranavi Sharma - Fri, 24, Jul 2026
- 02:17 EDT
- 19
Tania Roy and Gaurav Arya / Duke University
Duke University has been selected to lead four research teams under the U.S. Department of Energy's Genesis Mission, including two projects involving Indian-origin researchers Tania Roy and Gaurav Arya. The initiative will support artificial intelligence-driven research spanning robotics, materials science, physics and astronomy, with Phase I awards ranging from $500,000 to $750,000 over nine months.
Roy, from Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, is collaborating on a project led by 'Yiran Chen' to develop new hardware for AI-powered robots. The team aims to build neuromorphic processors that mimic the structure of the human brain and nervous system, with the goal of making robotic systems faster and more energy efficient.
According to Duke, the hardware is designed to be 10 times faster and 100 times more efficient than current designs. The researchers say existing delays in processing information from cameras and other sensors remain a major obstacle to expanding the use of AI-powered robots beyond specialized applications. The project also includes researchers from Georgia Tech and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
“The completed system will resemble a steel-born Centaur – a synthetic organism whose fundamental neuromorphic computing components and abilities form its muscles, skeleton and nervous system,” Chen said.
Arya, also from Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, is leading a separate project focused on using AI to improve DNA origami, a technique for designing materials with nanoscale structures for energy-related applications.
The research team will develop AI-driven models to simplify the computational challenges involved in folding DNA into precise structures. Collaborators include 'Stefan Zauscher' from Duke, along with researchers from Georgia Tech, Emory University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
“We’re just beginning to tap into this enormous design space, and we expect the novel biomaterials that result from this effort will greatly impact industries such as energy production, chemical manufacturing and even quantum computing,” Arya said.
The Genesis Mission is a Department of Energy initiative aimed at advancing scientific discovery through a platform that combines artificial intelligence, supercomputing, quantum systems and advanced scientific instruments. It brings together researchers from government, industry, academia and philanthropic organizations.
In addition to the engineering projects involving Roy and Arya, Duke will also lead two Trinity College of Arts & Sciences projects. One, led by 'Steffen A. Bass', will use AI to improve models of atomic nuclei by connecting experimental data with simulations of heavy-ion collisions. Another, led by 'Kate Scholberg', will develop AI methods to rapidly analyze neutrino data, enabling astronomers to respond more quickly to stellar explosions such as supernovas.
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