Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Chicago received a $360,549 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Computing and Communication Foundations under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070), awarded June 15, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2031. This CAREER award supports research to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that fundamentally transform human interaction with three-dimensional (3D) mesh models. The project delivers computational foundations for AI systems operating directly on meshes through three primary research components: establishing a mesh foundation model capable of learning general geometric representations for tasks such as segmentation and correspondence analysis; developing multimodal algorithms that enable intuitive 3D mesh editing and transformation using text descriptions, images, and point selections while preserving geometric structure; and investigating large language models as generative agents for synthesizing and evaluating 3D data to accelerate training data generation and 3D AI development.

The research directly addresses barriers to 3D content creation and manipulation by enabling scientists, engineers, and digital creators to generate and modify 3D objects through intuitive interactions rather than complex specialized tools. By democratizing access to 3D modeling capabilities, the project aims to accelerate innovation across multiple fields dependent on geometric data, including engineering, manufacturing, robotics, and digital content creation.