UMBC CBEE professor Tyler Josephson was selected as a 2025 Pivot Fellow by the Simons Foundation.  At UMBC, Prof. Josephson leads the AI & Theory-Oriented Molecular Science Lab (ATOMS), which develops computational methods for molecular simulation and automated discovery of scientific theories. 

Techniques used in the ATOMS Lab include quantum chemistry, Monte Carlo, symbolic regression, and formal theorem proving using Lean. His research is currently supported by the NSF and the DoD, including an NSF CAREER Award for "Automated Reasoning to Advance Chemical Theory" and an Army HBCU/MSI Early Career Award for "Simulation methods for reactive adsorption of emerging water pollutants."

The Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship is open to faculty in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, data science, and computer science at academic institutions or equivalent positions elsewhere. Fellows receive salary support, as well as funding for research, travel, and professional development. At the end of their fellowship year, they are invited to apply for a research award of up to $1.5 million over three years. Read more about the 2025 Pivot Fellows.