Schmidt Sciences Commits Up to $20M to Eight 2026 Polymath Researchers Including AI-Neuroscience Scientist Blake Richards
Mila_Quebec · x · 2026-09-23
Schmidt Sciences named eight 2026 Schmidt Polymaths who will share up to $20 million, with each researcher receiving up to $2.5 million to pursue bold new research directions beyond their established fields.
Among them is Blake Richards, senior academic member at Mila and assistant professor at McGill, recognized for pioneering work bridging brains and algorithms; he will explore how AI models trained on human behavior can deepen our understanding of the mind. Other projects span invertebrate immune systems as therapy inspiration and climate-resilient crops.
This is the sixth cohort, joining a community of 35 Polymaths from 31 universities worldwide.
Related event: Schmidt Sciences Awards $20M to Eight 2026 Polymath Scholars(3 posts)→
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