CMI awards more than $450,000 to 10 faculty-industry manufacturing R&D projects – UBNow: News and views for UB faculty and staff
The University at Buffalo’s Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI) is fueling innovation in New York State manufacturing through a significant investment in applied research. More than $450,000 has been awarded to 10 projects during the 2025-26 fiscal year, marking the largest number of projects funded by CMI in a single cycle.
Accelerating Materials Innovation
This funding initiative, administered through Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, is supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). CMI’s core mission is to bridge the gap between academic research and industry needs, fostering the development and commercialization of new technologies and bolstering workforce training.
The projects are centered around “materials informatics,” an emerging field that leverages data science and machine learning to expedite the discovery, optimization, and design of materials. This approach allows for the prediction of material properties and behaviors through large-scale data analysis, transforming traditional materials development processes.
A Diverse Portfolio of Projects
The 10 selected projects represent a wide range of sectors and company sizes. Four are spinouts from the University at Buffalo, four are mid-sized companies, and two are large, global corporations. Geographically, the projects are split evenly between Western New York and other regions across the state, reflecting a key goal of the program.
Among the funded projects, Y. Chris Li will collaborate with Aerammonia Inc. to advance energy-efficient ammonia production. James Chen and Wei Chen are partnering with Free Form Fibers to optimize ceramic matrix composites manufacturing. Prathima Nalam and Olga Wodo are working with Bausch + Lomb on next-generation contact lens design. Luis R. De Jesús Báez is collaborating with Copprium Inc. to refine AI-driven discovery of conductive copper inks.
Further projects include Jun Liu’s work with Corning Inc. on improving glass performance, Uttam Singisetti’s collaboration with Cubefabs Inc. on semiconductor diodes, Janet Morrow’s research with Ferric Contrast Inc. on safer MRI contrast agents, Bibhudatta Sahoo’s partnership with Hypres Inc. on quantum computing components, Krishna Rajan’s work with materialsIN Inc. to enhance their informatics platform, and Paschalis Alexandridis and Marina Tsianou’s collaboration with Multisorb Filtration Group on eco-friendly contamination disposal.
Per Stromhaug, senior associate vice president for economic development, emphasized the competitive nature of the application process. Adrian Levesque, interim director of CMI, highlighted the program’s success in attracting a diverse portfolio of projects and partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of the CMI’s FIAR program?
The primary goal of the CMI’s Faculty-Industry Applied Research (FIAR) program is to support applied research efforts that drive economic growth and commercial value for manufacturing businesses in New York State.
Who provides funding for the CMI?
CMI is supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).
What is “materials informatics”?
Materials informatics is an emerging field that combines data science and machine learning to accelerate the discovery, optimization, and design of materials.
As these projects progress, we may see the emergence of new materials and technologies with the potential to impact industries ranging from energy and healthcare to electronics and manufacturing. The success of these collaborations could lead to further investment in materials informatics and strengthen New York State’s innovation ecosystem.