University of Washington Researchers Awarded AI for Earth Grant

On September 10, 2026, Professor LuAnne Thompson and graduate student Hillary Scannell, both from the University of Washington's School of Oceanography, were named among five global recipients of the Microsoft-Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) AI for Earth Innovation grant. This funding supports projects using artificial intelligence to tackle urgent environmental issues. For Thompson and Scannell, the focus is on creating open-source AI models to track and predict marine heatwaves, a phenomenon occurring more often as the climate changes.

Their work sits within a larger effort to monitor environmental threats like water security and the loss of biodiversity. Backed by Microsoft and the LDF, the AI for Earth Innovation program funds the creation of machine-learning models, algorithms, and datasets designed to solve ecological problems. The initiative points to the growing role of technology in managing everything from human-wildlife conflict to the broader climate crisis.

Thompson and Scannell’s proposal was one of five selected from a competitive field of 135 applications. Their research centers on the devastating effects of marine heatwaves—extreme spikes in ocean temperature that trigger coral bleaching, decimate fish populations, and raise mortality rates across marine species. By applying AI, the researchers hope to better understand these events and build predictive models to help guide disaster response.

The goal is to provide scientists and emergency responders with clear insights to help mitigate the damage caused by future heatwaves. Across all winners, the AI for Earth Innovation grant will provide nearly $450,000 to implement these solutions over the coming year. Individual projects can request up to $100,000, a sum intended to foster a wide variety of fresh approaches to environmental protection.

These projects are designed to have an impact well beyond the initial grant period, helping to scale effective AI models across the field of environmental science. The work led by Thompson and Scannell may improve our understanding of the oceans while contributing to wider efforts in climate resilience and adaptation. As the global community deals with the effects of climate change, such initiatives highlight how AI can help protect ecosystems and manage resources sustainably. This project could eventually serve as a model for further AI-driven environmental research around the world.