It takes between 10 and 20 years to develop a new material — an advanced metal alloy, for example, that can be used in lighter cars, trucks and airplanes. That’s too long, says John Allison, professor of materials science and engineering.
With an $11 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), Allison is leading a project that aims to drastically shorten that time. The funding comes from the Materials Genome Initiative, President Obama’s plan to double the speed with which American scientists and engineers discover, develop, and manufacture new materials. In addition to the DoE grant, the university is providing $1.3 million toward the effort.
