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Data and AI-Driven Materials Science Group

The Data and AI-Driven Materials Science Group develops methods, algorithms, data, and tools, to accelerate the discovery, development, commercialization, and circularity of industrially-relevant materials. We enable the trustworthy use of data and AI-driven methodologies within both experimental and computational materials science and engineering workflows.

Welcome to the Data and AI-Driven Materials Science Group

We develop purposeful solutions to emerging and uniquely challenging problems at the intersection of materials science and artificial intelligence (AI). We focus on Autonomous and AI-Driven Systems, which require the development of methods, tools, and platforms to enable accelerated material and product development workflows. Our internally created autonomous systems enable us to expand our methodology while working on important materials problems, such as Industrial Gas Separation and Purification and Corrosion Resistant Materials with our Autonomous Scanning Droplet Cell.

Much of our work is focused on developing Autonomous Methods that form the core decision-making capability of self-driving laboratories, as well as robust automated Data and AI-Based Quantitative Analysis. We work on a diverse portfolio of materials characterization techniques, with a particularly strong focus on AI-Based X-Ray and Neutron Scattering Techniques. Similarly, we work on Automated Experimental Technology consisting of robotic and high-throughput experimental infrastructure to enable the rapid synthesis and characterization of materials. As part of our AI-Based Computational Metrology work, we develop machine learning (ML) algorithms to perform rapid and accurate selection of optimal system features, therefore optimizing performance, as well as material discovery, under a variety of conditions.

Finally, Data and Protocols serve as a foundation and connective tissue for all our efforts. We have aligned our work in support of community adoption of the FAIR Data Principles. Machine actionable data is a critical enabler of data-intensive science and engineering. Within materials science and engineering, process-structure-properties-performance relationships present unique challenges that have persisted for some time. We have efforts that address data interoperability within specific domains and global interoperability across domains via the emerging FAIR Digital Object Framework. We also support data interoperability early in the data lifecycle. We are currently supporting the development of advanced data management tools for Rapid Drug Analysis and Research (RaDAR).

Team

Core Capabilities

Autonomous and AI-Driven Systems

Development of methods, tools, and platforms to demonstrate and enable accelerated material and product development workflows — Our work in...

Autonomous Methods

Development of methods for autonomous materials synthesis, characterization, and analysis to maximize generation of new knowledge with...

Automated Experimental Technology

Development of automated, robotic, and high-throughput experimental infrastructure — Over the past three decades, the materials science and...

AI-Based Computational Metrology

Development of machine learning systems to accelerate and scale up physics-based modeling and simulation — Using AI tools and physics-...

Data and Protocols

Development of protocols for interoperable laboratory infrastructure, materials traceability, and FAIR materials data — Machine actionable...

Primary Focus Areas

Semiconductors

The Material Measurement Science Division has a long history of working with stakeholders in the semiconductor industry to develop new...

Forensics and Public Health

Forensic science has been a prominent pillar of research at NIST since the release of 2009 National Academies of Sciences report...

Projects

Autonomous Scanning Droplet Cell

Ongoing
Corrosion impacts a broad spectrum of application areas including infrastructure, transportation, and the military. The annual price tag for corrosion mitigation and remediation is 3.4 % of the US GDP. The team is particularly interested in discovering new metallic glasses (metals without long range

Publications

Awards

News and Updates

NIST AI System Discovers New Material

When the words “artificial intelligence” (AI) come to mind, your first thoughts may be of super-smart computers, or robots that perform tasks without needing

MRS Bulletin Material Matters

The MGI [Materials Genome Initiative] is going to change the way materials science is done. In the next 10-to-20 years, we’ll be doing materials discovery and

Press Coverage

Contacts

Group Leader

Office Manager

Group Safety Representative