NSDF Summit 2026 Brings Research Community Together in Chicago to Advance Federated Autonomous Science

NSDF Summit 2026 Brings Research Community Together in Chicago to Advance Federated Autonomous Science

The National Science Data Fabric (NSDF) brought together researchers, national laboratory scientists, academic leaders, and research infrastructure experts on October 19 for the NSDF Summit on Federated Autonomous Science, held in conjunction with PACT 2026 at the Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago.

The summit provided a forum for exploring how federated data, artificial intelligence, and shared computing infrastructure can accelerate scientific discovery across institutions and disciplines.

Discussions addressed trustworthy autonomous science, AI-ready research data, reproducibility, interoperability, scientific user facilities, and opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration. Sessions also examined shared infrastructure requirements and priorities for coordination among universities, federal agencies, and national laboratories.

A central theme was moving from research challenges and position statements toward actionable collaborative pilots, with participants considering opportunities to connect scientific expertise, data resources, and computational capabilities.

The summit highlighted the importance of building a coordinated research community capable of advancing federated autonomous science through shared infrastructure, open collaboration, and interdisciplinary partnerships.

Learn more: NSDF Summit 2026