The University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory plan to develop a state-of-the-art facility for high-performance computing and AI research that will enhance and strengthen the university’s research capabilities in science, energy and national security and create new jobs in southeast Michigan.

The effort, part of a new partnership agreement, builds on a recently established research collaboration between the two institutions. Under the expanded agreement, the laboratory and the university will partner in areas such as artificial intelligence, materials science and advanced manufacturing.

The facility will be located in Washtenaw County and house two computing centers. One center will support Los Alamos scientists and engineers in conducting research and development focused on critical national security AI challenges. An adjacent academic computing center will enable U-M faculty and students, and university partners from throughout the state, to collaborate with Los Alamos researchers on multidisciplinary research projects.

The academic computing center also will provide U-M and Los Alamos researchers opportunities to design joint workforce development programs and educational programs for students and trainees.

“Our new partnership and growing collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory will sustain and strengthen U-M’s impact and excellence in research, innovation and discovery,” said U-M President Santa J. Ono. “In addition to offering incredible new opportunities for our students, staff and faculty, this effort will create high-quality jobs and invigorate the state of Michigan’s place in the growing AI ecosystem and flourishing information economy.”

U-M faculty have engaged with Los Alamos researchers for years. The university solidified a partnership with the New Mexico-based national laboratory earlier this year with a five-year, $15 million research contract. The collaboration focuses on developing advanced computing technologies, including artificial intelligence and sophisticated modeling techniques, to address complex challenges like unlocking fusion’s potential as a clean-energy source.

The funding mechanism for the new facility has not been finalized, but will likely include a combination of federal and state money earmarked for economic development.

“Los Alamos drives a wide range of vital national security programs that utilize high-performance computing, AI and other capabilities like advanced materials and manufacturing to provide leading-edge solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems,” said Thom Mason, director of Los Alamos National Laboratory. “This partnership with the University of Michigan will provide critical new resources to support our data-intensive work.”

Located about 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, Los Alamos National Laboratory is a multiprogram, federally funded research and development center established in 1943. The U.S. Department of Energy operates 17 national labs across the nation.

“The collaboration between Los Alamos and the University of Michigan will combine the capabilities and intellectual DNA of two great public institutions to make revolutionary advances in supercomputing and AI for the nation’s benefit,” said Charlie Nakhleh, an associate laboratory director at Los Alamos.

Development of the new facility dovetails with other plans to increase the university’s research footprint, including the creation of a new Innovation District on North Campus that will encompass academic and research spaces. The district—designed to better facilitate research and partnership endeavors—is a key component in Campus Plan 2050, the university’s new comprehensive physical campus plan.

“With the broad expertise of our faculty across so many critical disciplines, a stronger partnership between the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Lab is beneficial to both institutions,” Ono said.

“By bolstering our high-performance computing infrastructure, as well as our research collaborations in other areas, faculty, staff and students from across U-M will have access to the tools and resources necessary to catalyze advancements in critical areas ranging from the biosciences and artificial intelligence to climate and sustainability.”

More information on the new high-performance computing facility.