We believe in the power of research to shape a better future, and that's why we created the Google Academic Research Awards (GARA) program. GARA supports innovative research in computing and technology that holds the potential to address global challenges.

Today, we’re happy to announce the first-ever GARA award winners. In this first cycle, the program will support 95 projects led by 143 researchers. These researchers represent 115 institutions spanning 34 countries, and their work aligns with Google's commitment to responsible innovation in six key areas:

• Creating ML benchmarks for climate problems
• Making education more equitable and accessible with AI
• Quantum transduction and networking
• Society-Centered AI
• Trust & Safety
• Using Gemini and Google's open model family to solve systems and infrastructure problems

Our hope is that GARA enables the acceleration of scientific advancements. Each recipient receives up to $150,000 USD in funding and has access to a dedicated Google sponsor to provide consultation along the way.

You can explore the work of the inaugural GARA winners and learn more about the program at goo.gle/gara. We are excited to see the transformative impact these projects will have on the world.