Dr. Julia Medvedeva.

Dr. Julia Medvedeva, an associate professor of physics at Missouri University of Science and Technology, will join a panel of experts at the first “U.S.-Japan Materials Genome Workshop” to discuss the best ways to produce low-cost, efficient manufactured products.

The workshop, held June 23-24 in Tsukuba, Japan, will bring together an interdisciplinary group of researchers from the United States and Japan to collaborate on ways to use predictive theory and modeling, combined with machine learning and data mining to create industrial products. By developing this collaborative framework, the workshop aims to promote greater research partnerships and a shared database of research materials.

The event will feature five keynote speakers and 30 distinguished researchers leading five separate discussion sessions. As an expert in the field of computational condensed matter physics and materials science, Medvedeva was invited to serve on a panel of experts who will discuss topics such as materials design and synthesis, data mining, and infrastructure needs for materials development. The event is sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the National Science Foundation.

“We are trying to create a large database of information to more efficiently create materials,” says Medvedeva. “By using big data and collaborating, not just interdisciplinary-wise but internationally, we hope to bridge the gap between academia and industry to optimize materials research.”

The workshop will cover both scientific and engineering challenges in materials, with topics including metals, polymer composites and ceramics. Structural materials that are central to physical infrastructure and have potential applications in aerospace and power generation will also be discussed.

“There is a lot of interest not just in the U.S. or Japan, but around the world in expanding researcher toolsets and broadening the distribution of research results,” says Medvedeva. “This is part of the Material Genome Initiative of the White House – ‘to discover, develop and deploy new materials twice as fast,’ and Dr. Lloyd Whitman, assistant director of nanotechnology in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, is excited about the workshop. It is a great opportunity to find new research partners and learn how researchers can better share results.”