| Scope |
Almost all sectors of the economy are undergoing dramatic change driven by several macro-trends, including the rise of artificial intelligence, the diversification and security of global supply chains, and the rapid growth of disruptive markets such as electric vehicles, space commercialization, renewable energy, and data infrastructure. Materials engineering is both undergoing transformation and playing a central role in enabling and accelerating these shifts. In this symposium, leaders from industry, the investment community, academia, and government will discuss how they are navigating and driving innovation in this period of rapid change.
The one-day program will be organized into four thematic sessions, each of which will feature invited talks followed by moderated panel discussions to encourage cross-sector dialogue. Sessions will address the evolving landscape of materials innovation, critical materials and supply chain resilience, emerging approaches to accelerated materials development, and manufacturing and commercialization pathways. A midday pitch competition, held during lunch, will feature short presentations from students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career professionals. This competition is designed to highlight emerging ideas and engage the next generation of materials innovators.
By integrating technical advances with perspectives on commercialization and supply chains, this symposium provides a practical, forward-looking view of accelerating materials innovation.
Technical / Thematic Focus Areas
• Translation of materials research into commercial products
• Startup-driven innovation in materials and manufacturing
• Scale-up challenges: from lab to pilot to production
• Advanced manufacturing and digital production systems
• Critical materials and supply chain strategy
• Materials for EVs, energy, space, and semiconductor applications
• Qualification, certification, and adoption barriers
• Role of capital and investment in materials innovation
• Industry–academia–government collaboration models
• Emerging tools for accelerating materials development |