Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville received a $149,960 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Division of Information and Intelligent Systems under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070) on June 1, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2028. This collaborative research initiative will develop quantum machine intelligence approaches for modeling human brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The project addresses critical gaps in applying quantum machine learning to neuroscience by creating a new framework to represent and analyze complex, high-dimensional, brain-wide neural dynamics—areas where existing classical machine learning approaches have demonstrated limitations in processing large-scale fMRI datasets for vision-brain understanding.

Deliverables under this award include the development of quantum machine learning methodologies applicable to neuroscience research, student training and interdisciplinary education initiatives, public workshops and webinars, and open-source software tools. The project will advance scientific understanding at the intersection of quantum computing, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence while supporting collaborative research that broadens access to these emerging computational approaches. Outcomes are intended to inspire more efficient artificial intelligence systems and contribute to improved medical diagnosis and treatment planning for neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder.