Thursday, December 15, 2005Volume 5, Issue 7
New Center for Computational Materials Design Launched
Two leaders in advanced computation design, Penn State University and Georgia Tech, announce the formation of the new Center for Computational Materials Design (CCMD), a collaboration between university faculty and Center members from industry and government laboratories. Penn State's Professor Zi-Kui Liu will serve as the Center's director. An award from the National Science Foundation as a NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center facilitated the Center's formation.
Based on needs identified by CCMD members, which initially includes 13 organizations representing both large and small businesses and DOE and DOD laboratories, faculty from Penn State and Georgia Tech will carry out short and long term research in innovative materials design. The proposed research will be at the interface of industrial relevance and scientific knowledge and will include interdisciplinary groups of materials science and engineering faculty and graduate students, as well as engineering systems design faculty, computer scientists, and applied mathematicians.
Dr. Liu notes, "Computational modeling and simulation are becoming key technologies to support materials research and development in both academia and industry. The establishment of the CCMD enhances the infrastructure of computational materials research in the nation, explores and extends the interface between engineering systems design, information technology and physics-based simulations, and integrates materials research as part of component and device design."
A key mission of the Center is to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers with a broad, industrially-relevant perspective on engineering research and practice, preparing them to contribute in the emerging field of materials design. In this regard, the member organizations will realize benefits not only directly from the results of the research projects but also indirectly from the availability of trained prospective employees, who will be well suited to implement computational materials design tools in practice.
The Center for Computational Materials Design, while on its way, it is quite interested in considering additional members. More information can be obtained by visiting the CCMD website at http://www.ccmd.psu.edu/ or directly from Center Director Z.-K. Liu via e-mail at zikui@psu.edu or Associate Director D.L. McDowell at david.mcdowell@me.gatech.edu
