The Wisconsin Impact Nexus: AI for Materials Science (WIN-AIMS) initiative is a bold new collaboration supported by the Grainger Institute for Engineering and the Wisconsin Impact Nexus program. The effort is designed to harness the power of artificial intelligence to transform how we discover, design, optimize, and qualify advanced materials.
Bringing together expertise from multiple College of Engineering departments and partners across campus—including the School for Computer, Data & Information Sciences and the College of Letters and Science—this effort aims to build a strong network of researchers and industry partners, identify our intersecting priorities, and work together to define and pursue our common innovation goals.
Save the Date
Wisconsin Impact Nexus: AI for Materials Science (WIN-AIMS) Connect and Create Workshop
January 13, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central
AI is transforming how materials are designed, synthesized, and characterized. This half-day kickoff workshop aims to bring together faculty and researchers from across UW–Madison to connect expertise from different departments, identify our strengths, and pinpoint areas where targeted internal investment can catalyze future large-scale funding efforts.
Workshop Goals
- Connect faculty across campus to spark new collaborations in AI-driven materials research.
- Identify UW–Madison’s core strengths in machine learning, modeling, characterization, and data-enabled materials discovery.
- Establish a foundation for Grainger Institute for Engineering (GIE) seed grants to identify and support collaborative efforts that can position UW–Madison for larger-scale external funding.
- Align campus capabilities with national priorities, such as AI for manufacturing, energy, and quantum technologies.
Why Attend
- Become more informed about AI for Materials Science research activities at UW–Madison and share your ideas and areas of interest.
- Join small-group discussions to identify promising research themes and directions for future government, industry, and Grainger Institute for Engineering seed-funded collaborations.
- Network with colleagues and help shape UW–Madison’s collective strategy in AI-enabled materials innovation.
- Learn about potential federal funding opportunities in AI for materials science, spanning different program scales.
Please save the date. Registration details will follow soon.