Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Virtual Square Table

PART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Combined with the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms and high throughput means for syntheses and materials characterization, advances in materials design have the potential to transform the modern industrial economy and address the urgent challenges of material waste and usage of natural resources. In this way, the United States is positioned to be a leader in sustainable materials and climate-friendly manufacturing processes.

Moreover, the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI), which was introduced in 2011, has been widely recognized as one of the most significant developments in materials research over the past decade. Its re-envisioning of how computation, theory, and experiment can work together in never-before-seen ways resulted in a rapid transformation of the working paradigm for both US materials science and engineering and the broader community, which encompasses researchers from other disciplines including chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and computer science.

In particular, its ability to: (a) create vast materials datasets; (b) encourage researchers from disparate disciplines to interact in meaningful ways; and (c) incentivize the open sharing and analysis of data led to the accelerated development of many new classes of materials. This strength can now be leveraged to readily grow key areas of national need.

Here, we put forward that sustainable materials development and manufacturing is an international necessity to mitigate the effects of waste in our environment, and it is also a factor in the future economic vitality of many industries. PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARY

By taking an MGI-based approach to sustainable materials and manufacturing, we will address this critical opportunity in a complete way such that one of the biggest challenges facing the nation, and the global community, can be addressed in a holistic manner. To this end, we will host a Square Table (ST) over the course of 2, half-day sessions to discuss strategies for advancing the science of sustainable materials and facilitating the adoption of their capabilities into manufacturing at large under the MGI umbrella.

The main goal of implementing the ST concept is to provide structure and self-facilitated interactions among stakeholders who do not typically interact with one another and to bridge gaps that exist between industry, federal agencies, and academia in an open and unbiased manner. In this way, we anticipate that this event will provide a clear picture of the current status and future vision of the sustainable materials and manufacturing community.

This ST cuts to the heart of one of the most pressing societal challenges, and it will necessarily bridge across multiple disciplines to have the desired impact. Critically, the organizers of the event recognize the need to welcome a diversity of voices, and they will implement a recruiting plan to attract researchers from a variety of backgrounds such that a diverse and inclusive approach is taken at the outset of addressing an opportunity that affects all people.

Importantly, both established and early-career (e.g., postdoctoral researchers and untenured faculty members) researchers will be event participants. Moreover, the ST will ensure that participants will be present from large and small businesses, federal agencies, and host of geographically-disperse academic institutional types including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.