Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Los Angeles received a $1,263,600 Research Training Group (RTG) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), effective September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2031. This award establishes an integrated research training ecosystem within UCLA's Department of Statistics & Data Science designed to develop the next generation of researchers in mathematical and statistical foundations of data science. The RTG engages students across all academic levels—from high school through postdoctoral researchers—through course-based research experiences, immersive summer programs, specialized topic courses, working groups, seminars, workshops, and summer schools. A new seminar series will connect statistics, data theory, and applications across disciplines to build a mathematically trained workforce equipped to address modern data science challenges.

The underlying research focuses on advancing mathematical and statistical foundations of contemporary data science through theory, methodology, and applications. Key research areas include deep learning theory (non-convex optimization, algorithmic regularization, neural network generalization, and feature learning); generative artificial intelligence models (scaling laws, prompt tuning, and diffusion models); and rigorous statistical principles for in-context learning. By combining comprehensive mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research-driven training, the award aims to develop researchers capable of solving emerging challenges in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and applied statistics while strengthening the Nation's scientific workforce in data science.