Research initiatives are the smallest scale and shortest duration projects funded by IMS. They focus on early-stage visioning and team building through workshops and related activities.

Robotic arm

Autonomous Research for Materials

This initiative aims to combine machine learning/AI, high-throughput computing, computational chemistry, and experimental materials synthesis and characterization to accelerate material discovery.

Leads: Mark Losego, Shreyas Kousik

Hand holding a green ball that says Net Zero on it.

Catalysis and Separations

This initiative is working to bring faculty together who are working on materials-related issues aimed at decarbonizing industrial separations and catalysis, identifying the bottlenecks for new materials, and assessing their long-term impacts. 

Lead: Marta Hatzell

A rocket flying above ground and clouds

Extreme Environments

This initiative aims to manage unpredictability and risk associated with materials in extreme environments through advancing the engineering of materials.

Lead: Richard Neu

quantum loop graphic

Georgia Tech Quantum Alliance (GTQA)

GTQA seeks to pave the way towards solving problems in optimization, cryptography, and artificial intelligence and allow science and engineering to better understand matter, material systems and the electronic state of quantum many-body systems.

Leads: Martin Mourigal, Zhigang Jiang

macromolecular materials graphic

Macromolecular Materials at Biotic and Abiotic Interfaces

This initiative will bring together experimental and computational engineers and scientists focused on fundamental studies of macromolecular systems to identify pathways to novel compositions, structures, synthesis, and characterization approaches to designing and implementing macromolecular materials.

Lead: Valeria Milam

Mechanical Metamaterials graphic

Mechanical Metamaterials

This initiative aims to bring faculty together to develop, characterize, and apply metamaterials — those with programmed structures above the atomic scale, blurring the line between material and machine. They can reveal fundamentally new physics while also incorporating new functionality for flexibility, strength, and intelligent processing of mechanical force and energy.

Lead: Zeb Rocklin

solar panels over water with sun and clouds above

Solar Energy Harvesting and Conversion

This initiative is working to integrate photovoltaic, photodetectors, and related devices into materials-related research; energize research in these areas; and consolidate the expertise of the many research groups working on or around photovoltaics/ photodetectors.

Lead: Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena