Studying science.
Improving research.
The Science of Science & Computational Discovery Lab studies how research is produced, evaluated, and shared. We develop computational methods to help people discover scientific knowledge and assess its reliability.
Led by Professor Daniel Acuna in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, our work connects AI with research integrity, peer review, and the study of scientific careers and collaboration.
We analyze publications, citations, and images using deep learning, natural language processing, graph analytics, image processing, and causal inference. Explore our research and open tools and datasets to see these methods in practice.
Research at CU Boulder
CU Boulder ranks No. 15 among U.S. public universities for graduate computer science. Its graduate engineering college ranks No. 10 among public universities and No. 18 overall, including private institutions. These are the U.S. News & World Report 2026–27 rankings reported by CU Engineering.
The university reported $734.9 million in research expenditures in its 2025 activity snapshot. With 12 research institutes and more than 75 research centers across campus, CU Boulder offers a broad scientific setting for a lab that studies research itself.
Computing and ideas across disciplines
CU Boulder’s Alpine supercomputer provides CPU, GPU, and high-memory resources for research, including AI and machine learning. It is part of the university’s shared research infrastructure.
The Institute of Cognitive Science connects computer science with psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and education. This wider community brings perspectives relevant to our work on how people create, evaluate, and use knowledge.
Where our alumni go
Our alumni have pursued careers as software engineers, data scientists, data engineers, and security analysts, as well as postdoctoral researchers and assistant professors. Their paths connect the lab’s computational work with both academic research and industry.
Meet our alumniJoin the lab
If your interests connect AI, data science, and the way science works, explore our research and joining information. Our Join Us page explains Ph.D. applications through Computer Science and the status of other research opportunities.
Join UsLife in Boulder
At the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder offers room to explore beyond the lab. The city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks system includes more than 155 miles of trails for time outdoors.
Visit us
Science of Science &Computational Discovery Lab
1111 Engineering Drive
Room 105 ECNW
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO 80309 View campus map