October 06, 2026
Collaboration with Mizzou’s AERI Center will give researchers new tools, training and technical support to move ideas from exploration to real-world application.
COLUMBIA, Mo. AND SUNNYVALE, Calif. — The University of Missouri is collaborating with Google Public Sector to provide faculty and student researchers with Google Cloud’s full AI-optimized tech stack and high-performance computing power. Through the collaboration, Mizzou’s AI Education, Research and Infrastructure Center (AERI) will expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) tools, training and technical expertise for researchers across the UM System — creating a clearer path from accessing AI tools to using them to advance research and put discoveries to work.
As Mizzou’s flagship hub for applied and responsible AI, AERI brings together researchers across engineering, agriculture, medicine, journalism and the humanities. It also partners with statewide networks such as MU Extension to broaden access to emerging technologies.
“This collaboration with Google Public Sector provides our faculty and students with a direct path from foundational learning to production-ready cloud architectures,” said Prasad Calyam, executive director of Mizzou AERI and a Curators’ Distinguished Professor in the College of Engineering. “It ensures that groundbreaking research moves rapidly from the lab into scalable solutions that benefit our state and society.”
The collaboration has four components designed to support researchers and students at every stage of the innovation life cycle.
Google Public Sector will support AI education and skills training through its tools and certification programs. Workshops focused on using AI to accelerate research are already planned for this fall.
To give researchers hands-on experience, Google Cloud will provide technology and access to Gemini Enterprise — Google’s most powerful AI assistant — where teams can test ideas, with seed grants available to help faculty and students access those resources.
For projects ready to move further, dedicated Google Cloud engineering support will help researchers develop high-impact work into grant-ready initiatives and scalable applications.
The collaboration will also connect Mizzou researchers and students with industry leaders through symposia, hackathons and other events designed to showcase new ideas, build partnerships and spur innovation across the state of Missouri.
“Our collaboration with Mizzou’s AERI Center is designed to accelerate the journey from academic research exploration to scalable, real-world application,” said Matthew Schneider, Managing Director, U.S. Education, State and Local Government, Google Public Sector. “By pairing Google Cloud’s advanced AI technologies and technical expertise with the university’s diverse research ecosystem, we are creating a secure, accessible environment for discoveries that will directly benefit the state of Missouri and beyond.”
About Mizzou AERI
The Mizzou AI Education, Research, and Infrastructure Center (AERI) serves as the University of Missouri’s interdisciplinary hub for responsible, applied AI, bridging academic scholarship with statewide community and economic impact. For more information, visit aeri.missouri.edu.
This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Show Me Mizzou newsletter.