The AI for Sustainability (AI4S) Visiting Professorship has launched at Cornell, designed to bring faculty scholars from across the world to the university to tackle pressing global challenges in sustainability through the power of artificial intelligence.

Developed by the Cornell AI for Sustainability Initiative (CAISI), the visiting professorship represents an expansion of Cornell’s commitment to sustainability and AI by inviting leading experts to collaborate with Cornell faculty, students and industry partners. During their short-term residencies, AI4S Visiting Professors will lead specialized seminars, workshops and courses, integrating AI-based approaches to address sustainability challenges.

“Cornell has long been committed to sustainability science and engineering, and AI is an essential tool in advancing this work,” said Fengqi You, director of CAISI and the Roxanne E. and Michael J. Zak Professor in Cornell Engineering. “With the AI4S Visiting Professorship, we are creating a truly global academic community focused on using AI to address some of today’s most urgent issues, from decarbonizing our energy systems to reshaping food production in sustainable ways.”

Beyond facilitating research, the AI4S Visiting Professorship seeks to foster professional growth and global research connections. Visiting professors are encouraged to bring doctoral students from their home institutions for extended research and training, building lasting collaborations.

The program is open to scholars worldwide, with particular encouragement for faculty from low- and middle-income countries. AI4S Visiting Professors will retain the title for two calendar years, regardless of the length of their visits.

“Through this program, we hope to inspire cross-disciplinary collaborations and create actionable solutions that address sustainability challenges in new ways,” You said. “Our visiting professors will help advance these efforts while engaging with students who are eager to see how AI can make a real difference in the world.”

Nominations are now open for the 2025-26 AI4S Visiting Professorship, with applications evaluated on the proposed impact, collaborative potential and contributions to CAISI’s educational mission – using AI to address major environmental, energy and food-related challenges across multiple scales, from sustainable materials discovery to the complex global energy-food-climate nexus.

For more information on the AI4S Visiting Professorship and how to apply, visit the CAISI website or contact the program for assistance.