Innovating Tomorrow’s Products Today
The technological challenges facing our nation and the world call for new materials with enhanced performance, novel functionality, advanced modeling, characterization and testing, and flexible design-enabling manufacturing techniques. Our focus involves advanced hard and soft matter as well as complex hybrid systems, spanning from bulk to nanoscale materials. Current and emerging thrust areas include materials for energy storage and conversion, novel electric, optic, and magnetic materials, structural materials and processes for additive and other advanced manufacturing techniques, and materials for bio-technology, medicine, and life-science. With dual emphasis on fundamental science and materials technology, our materials research aims for solutions to demands such as energy, transportation, communication, health, and sustainability, while building future expertise in critical areas through research-based education.
Our manufacturing research spans from investigation of fundamental process mechanisms to process integration and industrial deployment. Current thrusts include additive manufacturing, hybrid manufacturing, laser-based manufacturing, lightweight metal processing, flexible automation via robotics, human-robot collaboration, and advanced sensing and control methods. Several research efforts are being pursued from surface engineering perspectives by leveraging ultrasonic impact peening, laser shock peening and functional cold spray coating depositions. Embedded within the heart of the Midwest, Iowa State University is uniquely positioned to transfer novel manufacturing technologies to industries such as agriculture, aerospace, biomedicine, energy, and transportation.
Focus Area Expertise and Infrastructure
Our engineering departments, research centers and institutes provide expertise and research infrastructure support for the focus areas listed below.