Conference: Workshop for Artificial Intelligence-powered Materials Discovery at Grant Plains

The workshop aims to unite researchers from nine EPSCoR jurisdictions with world-class leaders in artificial intelligence (AI), engineering, materials science, physical science, and data science. The nine collaborating and participating jurisdictions in the workshop include South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Montana.

The Great Plains region, known for its vast prairies and agricultural lands, faces significant challenges such as economic fluctuations, limited resource access, and the impacts of climate change. These challenges provide unique opportunities for innovation through AI-powered materials research. Leveraging AI algorithms and data analytics, researchers can address issues like sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and environmental conservation.

This initiative will create a world-class, data-driven materials research platform focused on using AI to design high-performance materials, addressing critical societal challenges like global food shortages and climate change. The workshop will foster educational opportunities, attract young scientists to EPSCoR jurisdictions, and drive economic development by supporting local industries such as clean energy, semiconductor materials, biotech, and sensor innovation.

Participants will engage in interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative projects to develop robust methodologies and frameworks for accelerating materials innovation. Additionally, the workshop will facilitate the commercialization of translational technology to enhance economic development in the Great Plains, benefiting multiple projects and fostering collaboration among diverse consortium partners.

The workshop will leverage the unique geographical characteristics of the Great Plains, bringing together approximately 200 researchers from nine EPSCoR jurisdictions and 40 key leaders in AI, engineering, materials science, physical science, and data science. The primary focus of the workshop is to create opportunities for these jurisdictions to play crucial roles in a world-class, data-driven materials research platform, emphasizing AI for designing and producing high-performance materials.

The envisioned platform will leverage machine learning (ML) to pioneer the dynamic characterization of functional materials and enhance their design and production. The hypothesis is that data-driven ML algorithms can expedite materials discovery by accurately predicting material structures and functionalities and extracting essential insights from diverse data inputs.

The workshop aims to assemble a diverse range of worldwide expertise to establish a consortium dedicated to advancing AI-driven technologies for accelerating materials discovery. By attracting leading experts to the Great Plains region this initiative aims to bolster research programs across these areas. The workshop will integrate individual talents and existing research capabilities across multiple disciplines and institutions to engineer a transdisciplinary materials research platform.

Key objectives include integrating global experts to advance convergent research, education, and technology transition to address pressing societal challenges; engaging EPSCoR-jurisdiction institutions in world-class research collaborations with prestigious global institutions; positioning these institutions in leadership roles for AI-powered materials discovery; and attracting young scientists to the region's world-class research facilities.

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.