USM Polymer Professor Secures Prestigious Department of Energy Grant
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 10:03am | By: Van Arnold
University of Southern Mississippi (USM) polymer Professor Dr. Xiaodan Gu has worked
steadfastly over the past several years to expand his team鈥檚 research horizons. A
recent grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) marks a significant step in that
determined pursuit.
Last month the DOE announced $33 million to support 14 clean energy research projects as part of a program to ensure the Department鈥檚 research funding is reaching pockets of the country that traditionally have received disproportionally low amount of federal scientific funding. The funding is provided through DOE鈥檚 (EPSCOR).
Gu served as principal investigator on a project titled, 鈥淒REAM: Data-driven Reinvigorated Advanced Membrane Discovery Platform鈥� that was chosen for one of the prestigious awards. The grant is approximately $1 million for two years.
鈥淥ur team has been dedicated to the field of wearable electronics and stable renewable energy generation through plastic solar cells,鈥� said Gu. 鈥淭he recent news of receiving the EPSCOR seed grant marks a pivotal moment, as it will empower us to harness the potential of machine learning in innovating new membrane technologies for batteries, water purification, and carbon capture.鈥�
Added Gu: 鈥淭he grant has ignited a sense of enthusiasm within our team as we anticipate the transformative possibilities it holds over the next two years.鈥�
The collaborative project team includes five graduate students, four USM faculty members, one external faculty member, Dr. Wenjie Xia from Iowa State University, and three scientists from the Department of Energy laboratory.
Projects were chosen based on competitive peer review under a DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement for EPSCoR Implementation Grants. The DOE EPSCoR program is managed by the Department鈥檚 Office of Science through its Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Selected projects cover a range of energy research topics, from fundamental science topics to efforts in fusion energy, climate and ecosystem modeling, grid integration, wind energy, and sensors for energy conversion.
鈥淎merica鈥檚 next big energy breakthrough can come from anywhere in the nation, and that鈥檚 why Federal R&D investments should reach and benefit all parts of the country,鈥� said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.鈥淭he funding we鈥檙e announcing will spur innovation and create energy jobs around the nation.鈥�
Gu points out that the project鈥檚 core objective is to establish a pioneering research, education, and technology hub in the southeastern region, specifically geared toward advancing data-driven design of polymer materials to address multifaceted challenges within the Department of Energy鈥檚 energy applications.
The team鈥檚 comprehensive approach encompasses high-throughput materials discovery, covering:
- Rapid material synthesis
- Computational simulations utilizing high-performance computing
- Advanced morphology and property characterization employing robotic technology
- State-of-the-art Machine Learning techniques for deciphering polymer properties
鈥淏y seamlessly integrating these methodologies, our team aims to unravel persistent obstacles in energy materials, aligning with the DOE鈥檚 mission to meet escalating energy demands and expedite the transition toward a carbon-neutral society,鈥� said Gu.
Dr. Derek Patton, Director of USM鈥檚 School of Polymer Science and Engineering, serves as a team member and co-principal investigator on the project. He emphasized that the DOE grant further validates the transformative research being conducted at the school.
鈥淭his prestigious work not only affirms the pioneering work we have been doing in other areas, but also provides us with a platform for future innovation,鈥� said Patton. 鈥淚 am particularly excited that this project engages early-career faculty, such as Assistant Professor Boran Ma, who also serves as a co-principal investigator. This dynamic collaboration among scientists at different career stages and across multiple institutions ensures a rich and diverse perspective in our research ideas and directions.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚t is an excellent example of how we are fostering new generations of scientific leaders dedicated to addressing pressing energy challenges and contributing to a sustainable energy future.鈥�
Beyond the practical applications, Gu expects the project to yield significant educational benefits.
鈥淥ur center holds the distinction of being among the pioneers in training students to adeptly employ machine learning for material development 鈥� a burgeoning field that is pivotal for ensuring Mississippi鈥檚 students remain competitive in the ever-evolving job market,鈥� he said.