The University of Notre Dame, Indiana University and Purdue University are teaming up with the Indiana Innovation Institute for Indiana National Lab Day, connecting researchers with representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories.
Indiana University will host the event on Oct. 7 (Monday) at the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis. The event will feature discussions highlighting the state’s unique capabilities and advancements in research, and potential federal research opportunities.
“The distinguished faculty participating in these discussions represent the strength of Indiana’s research institutions to advance study in fields that will impact transportation, national security, robotics and our daily interactions with various technologies,” said Richard Billo, associate vice president for research, and professor of computer science and engineering at Notre Dame. “The joint research initiatives showcased as part of Indiana National Lab Day are just a few examples of the many collaborative efforts happening every day on campus.”
Researchers will cover four key state research initiatives:
- Artificial intelligence (AI): Advancements in AI have changed countless aspects of daily life. The same technology that allows us to use voice-activated assistant devices and powers driverless cars can also be used in areas of decision making and behavior algorithms. Indiana University will lead panelists in a discussion about a wide variety of issues and approaches related to AI systems such as personal robots, self-driving cars and drones.
- Hypersonics: Hypersonic flight is a key government interest due to its potential to get emergency and military aircraft to hotspots around the world quickly. Notre Dame recently completed development of the country’s largest quiet Mach 6 wind tunnel. The $5.4 million project is part of a partnership between Notre Dame and Purdue University to develop multiple hypersonic tunnels for continued research of technical issues facing development of hypersonic aircraft.
- Quantum information science (QIS): Purdue University will lead a discussion on the field of QIS, which is bringing new levels of functionality and performance to a vast community of users in areas of quantum information, computing, sensing and communication, involving both solid-state and atomic, molecular and optical quantum systems. State research collaborations will advance technological capabilities in quantum photonics and communications, quantum simulation and computation, sensing and precision measurements and bio-imaging in cells and tissues among others.
- Trusted microelectronics: Vital to countless applications, from cellphones and wearables to medical devices, global positioning systems and military communications, the security and integrity of current microelectronics remains vulnerable to attack. The Indiana Innovation Institute will lead a discussion about current initiatives to address those vulnerabilities through ASSURE (Achieving Scientifically Secured User Reassurance in Electronics), a $2.6 million program to develop new technologies that will help to counter attacks by adversaries, increase resistance to counterfeiting and further applications in nearly all electronic devices.
Several national laboratories will participate in the event, including Argonne National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab, Fermi National Lab, Sandia National Lab, and the National Energy Technology Lab.
Several of the Notre Dame faculty participating in panels during Indiana National lab Day include Thomas Corke, Clark Equipment professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering; Alan Seabaugh, Frank M. Freimann professor of electrical engineering and director of the Notre Dame Center for Nano Science and Technology; Nitesh Chawla, Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science & Engineering and Director of The Interdisciplinary Center for Network Science & Applications (iCeNSA), Anthony Hoffman, associate professor of electrical engineering; Walter Scheirer, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Alex Jemcov, research assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, and Adam Czajka, assistant professor of computer science and engineering.
To see the full schedule and to attend the event, visit labday.indiana.edu.
Contact: Jessica Sieff, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu