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Excellence in materials research
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Innovative graduate degree programs
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Expert faculty of scientists and engineers
Welcome to the website for Duke's Materials Initiative!
Meeting the grand challenges of our time, from harvesting solar energy economically to securing cyberspace to developing better medical treatments, requires new and fundamentally improved materials. Innovative and interdisciplinary research and education can furnish the needed materials and technologies.
The Duke Materials Initiative (DMI) was created to enable bold, innovative, and transformative materials science and engineering advances that are only possible when extending beyond and crossing the boundaries between traditional disciplines.
Upcoming Events
January 14, 2026
DMI/MEMS Seminar Presented by Asst. Prof. Thomas A.R. Purcell, Ph.D.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Fitzpatrick Center Schiciano Auditorium Side A, room 1464
Title: Automating Computational Materials Design with Explainable AI Abstract: High-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations have the capability to quickly screen thousands of [...]
February 11, 2026
DMI/MEMS Seminar Presented by Prof. Khalid Salaita
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Fitzpatrick Center Schiciano Auditorium Side A, room 1464
Abstract: Cells are highly dynamic structures that are constantly converting chemical energy into mechanical work to pull and push on one another and on their surroundings. These pulls and pushes are [...]
