International Institute for Multifunctional Materials for Energy Conversion (IIMEC)

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This award establishes an International Materials Institute for Multifunctional Materials for Energy Conversion (IIMEC) at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station in partnership with Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Houston and international collaborations at universities in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt), the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait) and Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, France). The international collaborations of IIMEC builds on connections facilitated by a Texas A&M branch campus in Qatar opened in 2003, a newly established Institute for Applied Mathematics and Computational Science in Saudi Arabia funded by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, The Georgia Tech campus in Lorraine, France and an exchange program between University of Houston and Tunisia. The research thrust is on computational modeling and experiments to study the cross-coupling of multiple functionalities, for example, thermal,/magnetic and mechanical coupling in shape memory alloys and polymers; coupling of electrical and mechanical properties in electroactive polymers, ceramics and composite materials; thermal/optical and electrical coupling for photovolatics, thermoelectrics, and fuel cell applications. IIMEC would establish a high performance computational infrastructure and high speed communications protocols to facilitate research and educational collaboration on multifunctional materials among its partners while expanding the global network. The Institute offers opportunities for undergraduate, graduate students as well as junior and established scientists to engage in international research, exchange visits among partners, seed programs to promote new collaborations and members, and instrumentation development for remote use among partnering international institutions. The Institute's management leadership is provided by its Directors and an Executive Committee, with guidance from an Advisory Board and an International Leadership Team. This award is jointly funded by the Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and the Africa, Near East & South Asia group of the Office of the International Science and Engineering.