Data Science Institute

Data Scientist Spotlight

Yeping Hu

Research Scientist

Which directorate/division do you support?
Engineering

When did you come to the Lab?
May 2021

What did you study in your path to this career?
I earned my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at UIUC and continued in the same field for my Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, where I specialized in Machine Learning, Controls and Optimization.

What projects are you currently working on?
I primarily work in the "AI for Science" domain. My current projects include developing a surrogate model to predict physical dynamics during laser powder bed fusion, as well as utilizing agentic models and knowledge graphs for early disease prediction and anticipating patient side effects.

What is exciting and/or challenging about your work in data science?
The most gratifying aspect of my work involves merging scientific fields with cutting-edge data science. Successfully weaving machine learning into sophisticated scientific models presents a rewarding challenge: ensuring our AI systems deliver both precision and scientific validity.

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Scientists at Lawrence Livermore and other national security-focused institutions are primarily concerned with the availability of critical materials whose complex supply chains can face instability. If researchers cannot obtain the materials they need for their project through the usual procurement channels, they must synthesize them on their own.