AI could soon make 160 years of scientific knowledge accessible in seconds, with McMaster Engineering researchers supporting BASF’s work to turn deep expertise into searchable insights.
The W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology is partnering with BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, to develop AI systems that transform decades of scientific research and institutional expertise into searchable, intelligent resources. The goal is to help scientists spend less time searching for information and more time solving complex scientific challenges.
This multi-year applied research partnership, which started in 2023, is led by Assistant Professor Hamidreza Mahyar, whose research focuses on developing trustworthy AI systems for real-world applications.
“As knowledge is one of BASF’s greatest assets, we’re supporting BASF in unlocking its 160 years of chemistry and chemical industry expertise through AI,” says Mahyar. “This will enable scientists and other BASF colleagues to ask a question and receive insights in seconds, not months.”
This is bigger than a research grant. We’re proving that leading Canadian universities like McMaster are contributing to AI solutions for global enterprises while training talent to help shape the future of industrial AI.
Advancing AI for industrial value
The research team is developing advanced AI technologies – including graph neural networks, multimodal large language models and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) – to help BASF colleagues quickly navigate complex scientific and Chemical Industry information and uncover insights that would otherwise remain buried in decades of research.
Although this joint AI research project is focused on chemistry and the chemical sector, the technologies being developed have the potential to go beyond Chemical Industry.
Preparing students for the future of industrial AI
The partnership is creating meaningful opportunities for McMaster students to apply advanced AI research in an industrial setting, while preparing the next generation of talent for rewarding careers.
Connecting research, industry and talent
This spring, researchers welcomed Irene Yang, Global Director of the Digital Innovation Center for AI and Quantum, Soheila Samiee, Program Lead for AI for Chemical Industry, and other team members from BASF’s Global AI Competence Center to the W Booth School for the partnership’s research review and planning meeting. Several times a year, graduate students present their work, discuss emerging AI research directions and receive direct feedback from BASF leaders and experts.
BASF’s view on AI-driven discovery
“Through our partnership with McMaster, we are bringing together leading research, industry expertise and emerging talent to advance AI-driven scientific and applied innovation. At BASF, we see AI as a catalyst for scientific and broader Chemical Industry-relevant innovation, helping make our invaluable knowledge more accessible, actionable, and useful for researchers and other colleagues tackling complex challenges,” says Yang. “This collaboration also reflects the strength of Canada’s AI ecosystem, with BASF’s Global AI Competence Center in Toronto – a key pillar in our global AI network.”
Turning applied research into career pathways
The collaboration has already translated into career opportunities. Three graduate students from the Mahyar Lab have joined BASF as full-time AI Engineers, demonstrating how applied research partnerships can prepare students to tackle complex challenges in one of Canada’s fastest-growing fields.
“This is bigger than a research grant,” says Mahyar. “We’re proving that leading Canadian universities like McMaster are contributing to AI solutions for global enterprises while training talent to help shape the future of industrial AI.”
Through this collaboration, McMaster continues to strengthen its leadership in applied artificial intelligence, creating student opportunities while supporting innovation at one of the world’s leading chemical companies.