AI + Astronomy: Models, Data, Discovery

Oct 21, 2025, 8:40 AM → Oct 23, 2025, 6:00 PM Asia/Shanghai

We are delighted to invite you to the International Workshop on AI + Astronomy: Models, Data, Discovery, a three-day event dedicated to exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping astronomy. The workshop will highlight the transformative role of large-scale AI models in enabling data-intensive scientific discovery.

The program will feature plenary and parallel sessions covering:

• Advances in AI and large models for astronomy

• Applications to spectral surveys, imaging, and time-domain data

• Computing, simulations, and data-intensive astronomy

• Instrumentation and frontier technologies

• International collaboration and open science

A special focus will be given to OneAstronomy, a large model developed at Zhejiang Lab, which has already demonstrated promising applications in spectral survey and time-domain data processing.

The workshop will be held from 21–23 October 2025 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, hosted by Zhejiang Lab in collaboration with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Leading scholars from around the world will gather to exchange ideas and explore the latest progress and future directions at the intersection of AI and astronomy.

Tue, October 21

10:00 AM → 10:30 AM Registration and Welcome Coffee

10:30 AM → 11:40 AM Welcome & Opening Session (30” each)

1.Jixin Yuan, Vice President, Zhejiang Lab, Welcome Remarks

2.Jean-Paul Kneib, Director of Laboratory of Astrophysics, EPFL, “Intelligent Digital Cosmology”

3.Gongbo Zhao, Deputy Director, NAOC, “Cosmological implications of large galaxy surveys”

Moderator: Junhui Shi

Speakers: Prof. Gongbo Zhao (National Astronomical Observatories (NAOC)), Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib (EPFL)

Gongbo Zhao.pdf

Jean-Paul.pdf

11:40 AM → 12:00 PM Group Photo

12:00 PM → 1:30 PM Lunch

1:30 PM → 2:30 PM Session 1 – Astronomical Large Models (20” each) Presentations

1.Tomasz Kacprzak, Professor, FHNW, "Large Language Models for Automated Scientific Discovery in Astronomy"

2.Florian Cabot, Software Engineer , EPFL, "Using Large Language Models as outreach tour guides in the Universe"

3.Erica Lastufka, Researcher, University of Geneva, "Vision Foundation Models for Astrophysics"

Moderator: Jean-Paul Kneib

Speakers: Dr Florian Cabot (EPFL), Prof. Tomasz Kacprzak (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW), Dr Erica Lastufka (University of Geneva Geneva)

Florian CABOT.pdf

2:30 PM → 2:40 PM Coffee Break

2:40 PM → 4:00 PM Session 2 – Astronomical Data (20” each) Presentations

1.David Harvey, Group Leader, EPFL, "Transparent ML for dark matter inference"

2.Huanyuan Shan, Professor, SHAO, "AI-Driven Weak Lensing Cosmology in the Era of Stage IV Surveys"

3.Shiyin Shen, Professor, SHAO,"From A to B: AI applications on galaxy images"

4.Piyush Panchal, HPC applications specialist, EPFL, "Speeding up the Pulsar Search Pipeline"

Moderator: Gongbo Zhao

Speakers: Dr David Harvey (EPFL), Prof. Huanyuan Shan (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, CAS), Dr Piyush Panchal (EPFL), Prof. Shiyin Shen (SHAO)

David Harvey.pdf

Huanyuan Shan.pdf

Shiyin Shen.pdf

4:00 PM → 4:10 PM Coffee Break

4:10 PM → 5:30 PM Session 3 –Observational Astronomy (20” each) Presentations

1.Andrii Neronov, Scientific Director and professor at EPFL, "Multi-Messenger Online Data Analysis"

1.Jiwei Xie, Professor, Nanjing University, "Observational Planetary Evolution revealed by Statistical Studies of Exoplanets"

3.Shengyu He, Graduate Research Assistant, EPFL, "Mapping the Universe with AI: From Galaxy Clustering to Cosmological inference"

4.Zhengyang Li, Researcher, NIAOT, “Challenges and Observations in Developing Antarctic Optical Telescopes”

Moderator: Alexandre Refregier

Speakers: Prof. Andrii Neronov (EPFL), Prof. Jiwei Xie (Nanjing University), Dr Shengyu He (EPFL), Dr Zhengyang Li (NIAOT)

Ji-Wei Xie.pdf

Zhengyang Li.pdf

5:30 PM → 5:40 PM Wrap-up of the day

5:40 PM → 7:40 PM Welcome Dinner

Wed, October 22

9:00 AM → 10:20 AM Session 4 –Theoretical Astronomy (20” each)

1.Alexandre Refregier, Full professor, ETH Zurich, "Simulation Based Inference in Cosmology"

2.Lile Wang, Assistant Professor, Peking University, "AI-Accelerated Astrochemistry: Nuclear Quantum Effects in the Molecular Hydrogen Formation"

3.Emma Tolley, Assistant Professor, EPFL, "Physics-Informed Machine Learning for Cosmological Simulations"

4.Renyue Cen, Professor, Zhejiang University, "External Feedback on Galaxy Formation from Giant Radio Lobes"

Moderator: Donghui Quan

Speakers: Prof. Alexandre Refregier (ETH Zurich), Dr Emma Tolley (EPFL), Dr Lile Wang (Peking University), Prof. Renyue Cen (Center for Cosmology and Computational Astrophysics, Zhejiang University)

Emma Tolley.pdf

Lile Wang.pdf

10:20 AM → 10:30 AM Coffee Break

10:30 AM → 11:50 AM Session 5 –Astrophysics (20” each)

1.Xiaodian Chen, Researcher, NAOC, "StarCLR: A Universal Foundation Model for Variable Star Classification"

2.Thomas Bisbas, Senior Research Expert, Zhejiang Lab, ”High-resolution 3D models of photodissociation regions”

3.Chin-shin Chang, Scientist, University of Geneva, "Zermatt Horizon Telescope and ngEHT – Prospects and Challenges"

4.Xinyue Chen, Graduate Research Assistant, NAOC, "Mapping the cosmic large scale structure using deep learning"

Moderator: Emma Tolley

Speakers: Prof. Chin-Shin Chang (University of Geneva), Prof. Thomas Bisbas (Zhejiang Lab), Dr Xiaodian Chen (NAOC), Dr Xinyue Chen (NAOC)

Thomas Bisbas.pdf

Xiaodian Chen.pdf

Xinyue Chen.pdf

12:00 PM → 1:15 PM Lunch & free time for rest

1:30 PM → 2:30 PM Session 6 – Research Progress in Zhejiang Lab (15" each)

1.Xiaodian Chen, Researcher, NAOC, "OneAstronomy——Foundation Model for Astronomy"

2.Yangdi Xu, Research Associate, Zhejiang Lab, "Haina Scientific Data Hub——An Open Science Digital Infrastructure"

3.Yi Yuan, Research Associate, Zhejiang Lab, "The Three-Body Computing Constellation and AI in Space"

4.Shunxuan He, NAOC, "Decoding RR Lyrae Light Curves with Deep Learning for Accurate Absolute Magnitude Estimation"

Moderator: Thomas Bisbas

Speakers: Xiaodian Chen (NAOC), Dr Shunxun He (NAOC), Dr Yangdi Xu (Zhejiang Lab), Prof. Yi Yuan (Zhejiang Lab)

Shunxuan He.pdf

2:30 PM → 2:45 PM Travel to LiangZhu Museum

2:45 PM → 5:00 PM Site Visit to LiangZhu Museum & Site Visit to The Liangzhu Meilizhou Park (Optional)

5:30 PM → 7:30 PM Dinner

Thu, October 23

9:30 AM → 10:00 AM Travel to Zhejiang Lab

10:00 AM → 11:00 AM Site Visit

11:00 AM → 11:50 AM Discusstion on Future Collaboration

11:50 AM → 12:00 PM Closing Remarks

12:00 PM → 1:30 PM Lunch