Materials Discovery Seminar Bridges Disciplines in Computational Materials Science

The Materials Discovery Seminar is a monthly series designed to showcase innovative research at the intersection of materials science and computational engineering. Hosted by groups from the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, the Cockrell School of Engineering, and the College of Natural Sciences, the seminar brings together researchers from diverse fields like chemistry, physics, and engineering.  

Launched in Fall 2023, the seminar has been running for three semesters, “It is a monthly meeting where graduate students, postdocs, and faculty share their latest work on computational materials research, all the while enjoying pizza,” said Feliciano Giustino, Director of the Center for Quantum Materials Engineering at the Oden Institute, and the seminar’s organizer.  

The inspiration behind the series stemmed from a need for greater collaboration and regular updates among computational materials research groups. “Together with other faculty in computational materials—like Profs. [Graeme] Henkelman, [James] Chelikowsky, [Don] Siegel, [Narayana] Aluru, [Wennie] Wang, [Yuanyue] Liu, and others—we felt that our groups could benefit from closer interactions and regular updates on our research activities,” said Giustino. “Furthermore, we wanted one seminar series that does not involve perfectly polished presentations by established academics, but work-in-progress seminars about very recent work that may still be unpublished.”  

One of the seminar's primary objectives is to create a space for students and postdocs to share their work in a friendly, informal setting, fostering connections and collaborations across disciplines. “We hope that this series will become a standard feature among Oden Institute events and that participation will keep growing steadily,” Giustino added. “We also hope to see more CSEM students working in related areas or simply curious about quantum simulations of materials.”  

The seminar has already delivered memorable moments. Giustino fondly recalled one particular session: “When Prof. Doran Raccah (new Assistant Professor in Chemistry) was giving a talk, I turned back and saw a standing-room-only audience.”  

Through its focus on collaboration, casual atmosphere, and work-in-progress research, the Materials Discovery Seminar is advancing research while building a vibrant and supportive community of researchers.  

Be sure to check out the Materials Discovery Seminar, their next meeting is on February 28, from 12 PM — 1 PM at POB 4.304