"Materials of Tomorrow: Harnessing Responsiveness, Intelligence, and Sustainability"

Exploring the Frontiers of Materials Science: A Collaborative Symposium between OIST and UC Santa Barbara.
By Hiroyo Clemente and Mari Bergsvag

On March 26, 2024, OIST and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) came together for an enlightening exploration of cutting-edge research in materials science. The joint mini symposium, titled "Materials of Tomorrow: Harnessing Responsiveness, Intelligence, and Sustainability," served as a platform for scientists and researchers to delve into the forefront of material innovation and foster collaboration between the two prestigious institutions.

Hosted at the Sydney Brenner Lecture Theater of OIST, the symposium commenced with a warm welcome from Dr. Christine Luscombe of OIST and Dr. Karin Markides, the President of OIST, setting the tone for a day filled with insightful discussions and knowledge exchange. To encourage networking among attendees, Dr. Nicholas Luscombe, the Dean of Research of OIST, orchestrated a "Meet n’ Greet" session, allowing participants to start the event with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere to connect and exchange ideas.

The symposium featured four sessions, each focusing on a distinct aspect of materials science.

In the first session “Quantum Frontiers: Designing Functional Materials” experts of the field presented groundbreaking research on emergent phenomena in low-dimensional quantum materials and on the intricate dynamics of hexagonal lattice structures. The session underscored the importance of understanding quantum behavior in materials design for future technological applications. 

The second session “Exploring Photoinduced Phenomena” 
described the  fascinating realm of photo-excited states in semiconductors, shedding light on exciton visualization and organic semiconductor behavior. Discussions revolved around the potential implications of photoinduced phenomena for developing advanced optoelectronic devices.

The third session “Advancing Energy Technologies with Polymers” highlighted recent advancements in polymer-based energy storage and conversion materials, focusing on battery binders and mixed ionic/electronic conducting polymers. Presentations showcased innovative approaches to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in emerging technologies.

Finally, the last session “Designing Sustainable and Responsive Materials” showed how scientists explore the frontier of sustainable material design, discussing scalable strategies for developing eco-friendly pressure-sensitive adhesives and bioinspired materials with remarkable fragility. Additionally, novel approaches to creating responsive materials inspired by biological systems were showcased, opening new avenues for material innovation.

As the symposium drew close, Dr. Ram Seshadri of UCSB and Dr. Amy Shen, the Provost of OIST, delivered closing remarks, expressing gratitude for the enriching discussions and promising further collaboration between the institutions. Following the formal sessions, attendees enjoyed a reception, providing a relaxed environment for continued interaction and collaboration among researchers, faculty, and students from both OIST and UCSB.

For readers of this report who are not familiar with the science of this meeting, it is not always easy to figure out what is the real level of collaboration between both institutions, and where are the best chances for breakthroughs after joining forces.

We asked for the opinions of three experts of the field, whose presentations or comments were clearly showing broad knowledge and strong interest in developing partnership.
Dr. Angela Pitenis (UCSB) sees that joint projects would be particularly efficient in the fields of functional/photonic/electronic materials as well as soft matter. According to her, current connections between OIST-UCSB are most promising in designing energy technologies with polymers. She also says that a number of scientists from both institutions know each other fairly well, but she is unsure that important collaborations are in place yet.

For Dr. Yoshinori Okada (OIST) and Dr. Ram Seshradi (UCSB) polymer materials and quantum materials are the most obvious and good targets for multiple cooperations. Dr. Okada thinks that the key challenge is to sort out among plenty of possible joint projects, those that are ambitious but also feasible with a reasonable level of risk.
Overall, Pitenis, Okada and Seshradi expressed satisfaction after the meeting. It was an opportunity to hear great science, including from people not yet known from both sides. They found the meeting particularly useful for students and postdocs. In this respect, one of their recommendations for future such meetings was to enhance the participation of early career scientists, through the addition of multiple short talks and an important poster session.

The joint mini symposium between OIST and UCSB served as a testament to the power of collaboration in advancing the frontiers of materials science. Through shared expertise and collective efforts, scientists are paving the way for transformative breakthroughs that will shape the materials of tomorrow.