Within each signature area, strategic themes provide greater definition and usefulness to researchers. Some strategic themes are already areas of national and international prominence, while others are more reflective of growing areas of emphasis and strength. While working to maintain already strong areas, IMR remains equally attentive to opportunities to invest in emerging areas of national and global interest that intersect with Ohio State, advancing the university toward the prospect of world-class eminence in materials research.
Signature Areas
The IMR community produces a wide range of high-profile, high-impact research. Some work is conducted individually or in small teams, while other advancements are based on fully coalesced centers. In 2019, IMR defined five signature areas of research related to the science and engineering of materials, in which strategic investments and collaborations can enhance the preeminent materials research enterprise at The Ohio State University.
Characterization, Computational Materials and Modeling
- Ultra-resolution electron microscopy and imaging: structural, biological, energy and electronic materials
- Electronic, optical and ultrafast spectroscopies
- Experimentally informed, physics-based predictive modeling
- Data-driven modeling and AI architectures for materials discovery
- Multiscale modeling, cyber-physical integration, and adaptive simulation for complex systems
Electronic And Photonic Materials and Devices
- Compound and wide bandgap semiconductors
- Epitaxy, novel materials and heterostructures, heterogeneous integration
- Defects and reliability
- Advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices
- Semiconductors in extreme environments
Emergent Materials
- 2D materials synthesis, phenomena and electronic applications
- Novel magnetic systems and spintronics
- Topological materials and complex interfaces
- Quantum materials, phenomena and systems
- Materials-health science interface and systems
Materials for Next-gen Energy Science and Technologies
- Solid-state and advanced electrochemical energy storage
- Battery prototyping, processing and modeling
- Photovoltaic and thermoelectric
energy conversion - Power electronics and low-energy
electronic systems
Processing and Prototyping
- Additive manufacturing and
data science integration - Advanced & high-entropy alloys
and lightweight structures - Corrosion science, environmental
effects and predictive modeling - Digital twins and virtual prototyping for strategic tech sectors