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Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.
Research plays an integral role in RPI’s vision of the technological university. The discovery and application of new scientific concepts and technologies, especially in emerging interdisciplinary fields, are core goals for faculty, staff, and students. Rensselaer’s research programs reach across the campus, linking departments, schools, interdisciplinary centers, and unique platforms such as the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, the Computational Center for Innovations, and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies. This fertile research environment creates opportunities for the integration of research and education, the development of entrepreneurship, and experiences with collaborators from a broad range of academic, private, national, and international institutions.
The Office of the Vice President for Research works closely with faculty to foster high-impact research to address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges in science, engineering, technology, and society. The Office oversees a “research ecosystem” that supports faculty and student innovation, facilitates interdisciplinary synergistic work in RPI centers, and coordinates major research themes and programs.
Notice Regarding Intellectual Property All members of the RPI community, including, but not limited to, graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff, administration, visiting scholars and scientists, and guests, are bound by the RPI intellectual property policy. For additional information about intellectual research, click here.
Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE)
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Director: Dennis Shelden, Ph.D.,
Associate Director: Alexandros Tsamis, Ph.D.,
Website: Center for Architecture Science and Ecology at Rensselaer
At the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), we design, research, develop, and translate next-generation technology for a resilient and socially sustainable built environment. As an Institute-wide center, our mission is to collaboratively create, facilitate, and grow large-scale, cross-disciplinary research and development projects across all disciplinary corners of RPI, accelerating innovation for the built environment. Our research at CASE explores the interplay between natural and built ecologies, integrating material, energy, and information systems. We combine building science, system engineering, and integrated design to develop transformative solutions for building and urban systems, aiming to reduce humanity’s impact on the planet. CASE is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, with additional offices and laboratories at RPI’s campus in Troy. RPI’s School of Architecture frames its advanced degree programs in Built Ecologies, Design Technology, Geofutures, and the culmination of its professional architecture degree around CASE — fostering the next generation of researchers practitioners and entrepreneurs capable to address the biggest challenges that the built environment faces and provide data and performance-driven building technologies in support of clean, self-sustaining and resilient built environments.
Affiliated Faculty: D. Shelden, A. Tsamis, J. Draper, F. Hower, A. Yazdanseta, D. Papanikolaou, T. Atak, E. Pekdemir, C. Perry, C. Dwyer, C. Portelli, C. Bennet
Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS)
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Director: Daniel Walczyk, Professor, MANE
Director for Business Development: Brian Apkarian
Website: MA-X | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS) at RPI serves as a focal point for a broad range of industrially relevant research and development in practical and theoretical aspects of advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics. Advanced manufacturing is a critical component of the U.S. economy as it helps sustain our global competitiveness across a wide range of industries, from biomedical and renewable energy to aerospace. Automation (processes and devices that improve efficiency, increase productivity, or enhance functionality) and industrial robotics (programmable machines capable of automatically carrying out complex series of actions) are key enabling technologies for advanced manufacturing. Nearly 40 faculty members from multiple departments throughout RPI participate in the research and educational programs of the Center. With annual base funding from the State of New York as a NYSTAR-designated Center for Advanced Technology, the CATS pursues a mission of research excellence and service to industry, and focuses on bridging the “laboratory-to-market” chasm across a broad range of domains and high-impact applications. The CATS leverages RPI’s rich ecosystem and domain expertise to help its industrial partner companies pursue both detail- and systems-level approaches to solving real-world problems, advancing model-based methods and applying them to design, optimization, control, and monitoring of industrial processes and systems. Current research thrust areas include: Industrial Automation and Control, Advanced Robotics and Control Systems, Continuous Processing and Control, Additive and Bioadditive Manufacturing, Smart Manufacturing, Metal and Ceramics Processing, Micromanufacturing, and Advanced Composites and Biocomposites Manufacturing.
Affiliated Faculty: J. Agung, C. Bae, W. Bequette, T. Blanchet, T. Borca-Tasciuc, C. Carothers, V. Chakrapani, A. Chung, D. Corr, M. Diagne, F. Gandhi, J. Hahn, M. Hardwick, M. Hella, R. Hull, Q. Ji, A. Julius, P. Karande, N. Koratkar, E. Ledet, D. Lewis, C. Malmborg, A. Maniatty, S. Mishra, S. Narayanan, A. Oberai, R. Ozisik, L. Parsa, J. Plawsky, R. Radke, T. Ravichandran, C. Ryu, O. Sahni, J. Samuel, M. Shepherd, J. Tichy, J. Trinkle, D. Walczyk, J. Wen, W. Wu, W. Xie
Staff: K. Myer, S. Rock, G. Saunders, J. Lawler, W. Lawler, D. Ruiz, L. McGill
Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS)
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Director: Juergen Hahn, Ph.D.
Director of Operations & Business Development: Max U. Morton – ‘04, MBA
Director of Research Cores: Marimar Lopez, Ph.D.
Website: Home Page | Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies
The Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) is a 218,000-square-foot facility on the RPI campus. With its high-tech laboratories, it provides a platform for collaboration among many diverse academic and research disciplines to enhance discovery and encourage innovation. Research and office space are available for approximately 500 faculty, staff, and students, and the Bruggeman Conference Center and Auditorium host world-class programs and symposia.
CBIS facilitates groundbreaking discoveries by RPI faculty at the intersection of the basic life sciences, physical and computational sciences, entrepreneurship, and engineering sciences, which leads to new biotechnology breakthroughs. By maximizing core strengths and collaborations, CBIS ensures the impact of RPI’s financial, organizational, and intellectual investment to society.
Center faculty and researchers are engaged in interdisciplinary research, focused on the application of engineering and the physical and information sciences to the life sciences. Residents include members of several academic departments including Biological Sciences; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Biology; Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering; Physics; Materials Science; Video and New Media in the Arts.
The Center is home to eleven state-of-the-art Research Core facilities, which permit investigators to address fundamental research questions from the atomic and molecular level through cellular and advanced tissue systems, and finally in live animal platforms. The Research Cores include Analytical Biochemistry, Bioimaging, Bioresearch, Cell and Molecular Biology, Flow Cytometry, Genomics, Microbiology & Fermentation, Microscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Proteomics, and Stem Cell Research.
Biotechnology is an inherently multidisciplinary pursuit. Students interested in studying Biotechnology at RPI may apply for degrees through several existing departments and programs and create a truly interdisciplinary program with consultation and approval from faculty advisers who represent at least 12 different university departments.
Affiliated Faculty: B. Barquera, G. Belfort, K. Bennett, M. Bentley, B. Bequette, E. Blaber, C. Bystroff, N. Campbell, B. Chang, W. Colon, D. Corr, S. Cramer, J. Dordick, S. Forth, S. Garde, V. Ghosal, R. Gilbert, S. Gilbert, R. Gross, J. Hahn, M. Hahn, J. Hendler, K. High, M. Holmes, R. Hull, J. Hurley, P. Karande, C. Kilduff, J.-Y. Kim, M. Koffas, B. Larson, K. Lakshmi, E. Ledet, L. Ligon, E. Liu, G. Makhatadze, D. McGuinness, K. Mills, G. Montelione, A. Munoz Rojas, M. N’Gom, S. Nierzwicki-Bauer, M. Nyman, T. Przybycien, G. Ramanath, C. Royer, D. Swank, D. Thompson, P. Underhill, D. Vashishth, L. Wan, C. Wang, G. Wang, I. Wilke, P. Yan, M. Zaki, R. Zha.
Staff: G. Felch, A. Gordon, W. Keenum, A. Killam, R. LaPietra, M. Lopez, R. Matthews, S. McCallum, M. Morton, A. McKenna, J. Morgan, K. Narayana, N. Ohlrich, S. Pryshchep, C. St. Andrew, K. Xia, J. Zhao
Center for Computational Innovations (CII)
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Chief Scientist: Christopher D. Carothers
Director, Research Computing Operations: Jacqueline A. Stampalia
Associate Director of Research: Mark S. Shephard
Website: Center for Computational Innovations | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Center for Computational Innovations (CCI) is solving problems for next-generation research through the use of massively parallel computation and data analytics. A central feature of the CCI is the Artificial Intelligence Multiprocessing Optimized System (AiMOS), an eight petaflop IBM POWER9-equipped supercomputer configured to enable users to explore new AI applications.
The CCI Computational Facilities:
1. “AiMOS” Supercomputer: IBM DCS, 14 racks (252 nodes, 130,000 cores, 1512 v100 GPUs) with 128 TB of RAM total.
2. “AiMOSx” X86/Nvidia GPU cluster: 40 nodes, 2x20 Core Xeon processors with 8 v100 Nvidia GPUs and 768 GB of RAM each.
3. Parallel Storage: 11 Petabytes disk storage IBM Spectrum Scale parallel file system.
4. Network: Non-blocking 100 Gbps/EDR Mellanox Infiniband switch fabric.
Currently, the center provides computational resources to approximately $74M in externally funded research activities. These research activities cut across a number of massively parallel and data analytic topics. Examples include: protein folding, micro-structure materials modeling, fundamental properties of graphene, co-design of future exascale supercomputers, massively parallel adaptive methods for multi-scale simulation, high-performance computing workflows for industrial applications, and advanced computational fluid dynamics, to name a few.
Affiliated Faculty: A. A. Abouzeid, S. Adali, , H. Belanger, C. Bystrof, C.D. Carothers, Z. Chen, M.O. Coppens, S. Cramer, B.M. Cutler, Y. Danon, P. Dinolfo, , , D. Gall, J. Gao, S.S. Garde, J.T. Giedt, A. Gittens, W.D. Gray, S. He, W. Henshaw, J. Hicken, M. Holmes, J. Hendler, L. Huang, X.R.M. Intes, D. Isaacson, P. J. Keblinksi, P.R. Kramer, S. Lee, D.J. Lewis, L. Liu, G. I. Makhatadze, A. Maniatty, L.L. Martin, R. Mayo, J. F. McDonald, J. Merson, A.L. Milanova, , A.A. Oberai, S. Patterson, C.R. Picu, M.D. Platt, J. Plawsky, M.Z. Podowski, T. Przybycien, R. Radke, G. Ramanath, O. Sahni, D. Schwendeman, O. Seneviratne, M.S. Shephard, Y. Shi, K.L. Simons, G. Slota, R. Sundararaman, B. Syzmanski, P.T. Underhill, , C. Wang, G. Wang, M. Wang, B.E. Watson, J. Wei, J. Wen, N. Xiang, G. Xu, B. Yener, M.J. Zaki, L.T. Zhang, S. Zhang, T. Zhang
Staff: D. LaBrie-Belser
Technical Staff: A Damian, D. Fox, C.W. Smith
Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine (CEPM)
Directors: Deepak Vashishth, Ph.D. (RPI), Priti Balchandani, Ph.D. (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
Websites: https://cepmresearch.org/ and The Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine | Icahn School of Medicine
The Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine (CEPM), one of the first centers in the nation to bridge engineering and engineering science with medicine, is a collaboration between RPI and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Based in New York City with research also occurring at RPI’s Troy campus, CEPM drives advances in the field of precision medicine – a personalized approach to disease treatment and prevention based on individuals’ biological, environmental, and lifestyle differences – which is transforming medical practices in areas such as cancer immunology, neuroinflammation and disease, health, and regenerative and reparative medicine. CEPM accelerates this transformation and develops new technologies that will revolutionize the way patient care is delivered. Research is also aimed at point-of-care and point-of-use devices and diagnostics; micro-physiological platforms for discovery and diagnosis; robotic surgery; biomedical imaging; therapeutics biomanufacturing; and artificial intelligence and machine learning applied to biomedical data. These engineering advances will improve quality of life by synergizing state-of-the-art expertise in research and education at the nexus of engineering and medicine, by focusing on three critical research areas: 1) Neuro-engineering, 2) Immuno-engineering, and 3) Regenerative and reparative medicine.
CBIS, VPR, Schools, Provost, and OSAT are working together to support CEPM in becoming a leader in commercial/clinical translation that drives significant increases in federal, foundation, and industry funding with large-scale partnerships, development of new ventures in medicine and healthcare through RPIVentures.
CEPM offers a PhD in Health Sciences Engineering, which is an innovative, immersive program designed to train future leaders and entrepreneurs at the interface of engineering and medicine. Jointly offered by RPI and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, this program equips students with the skills to develop transformative biomedical innovations, translate scientific discoveries into clinical applications, and advance solutions that improve patient care. Participants also gain interdisciplinary communication skills and adhere to the highest ethical standards in human health. Through a blend of rigorous coursework in engineering and medicine and hands-on experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, the program prepares candidates to address some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. This five-year PhD program provides access to multidisciplinary mentorship, real-world project opportunities, and collaboration with leading researchers, clinicians, and industry partners.
Affiliated Faculty: D. Vashishth, B. Barquera, G. Belfort, W. Bequette, E. Blaber, D. Corr, S. Cramer, J. Dordick, S. Garde, R. Gilbert, S. Gilbert, R. Gross, J. Hahn, J. Hurley, P. Karande, M. Koffas, L. Ligon, G. Makhatadze, E. Palermo, J. Plawsky, T. Przybycien, C. Royer, D. Swank, D. Thompson, P. Underhill, L. Wan, C. Wang, G. Wang, P. Yan.
Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES)
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Director: Jian Sun, Professor, ECSE
Associate Director: Chulsung Bae, Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Director of Business Development: Brian Apkarian, MBA
Website: Center for Future Energy Systems | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES) is one of the 15 New York State-designated Centers for Advanced Technology (CAT) funded by Empire State Development through its Division for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). The center’s mission is to connect novel energy materials, devices, systems research, knowledge, and technology in academia with the needs of industry to solve practical problems and spur economic development.
Energy is one of the most pressing issues facing society. Achieving energy security, combating climate change, and developing a green energy economy will require harvesting more energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind, as well as using energy more efficiently across different sectors of the industry and in all aspects of daily life. CFES addresses these challenges through cutting-edge research and industry collaboration in a wide range of areas including advanced materials for hydrogen and fuel cell, batteries, and thermal energy conversion; solid-state lighting and energy-efficient building systems; wide bandgap power electronics; conversion, control and grid integration of wind and solar energy; high-voltage dc transmission and advanced grid infrastructure; as well as power system modeling, monitoring and control.
Core Affiliated Faculty: C. Bae, T. Borca-Tasciuc, V. Chakrapani, J. Chow, P. Chow, P. Dinolfo, F. Han, L. Huang, W. Ji, K. Kar, N. Koratkar, E. Liu, A. Maniatty, S. Narayan, J. Olsen, K. Schell,Y. Shi, J. Sun, R. Sundararaman, M. Wang, Z. Zhang
Staff: L. McGill, P. Luker
Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems (cMDIS)
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Director: Robert Hull
Website: Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems, or cMDIS, provides the platform for researchers in diverse disciplines across the physical and chemical sciences and engineering to establish cross-disciplinary collaborations and develop teams to tackle some of the most pressing challenges that face our society in the 21st century. The cMDIS leads strategic research efforts in advanced materials and devices, and the integration of these technologies into complex systems. This is achieved by fostering interdisciplinary research that employs advanced computational tools, testbeds, and fabrication and characterization facilities.
Located primarily on the RPI campus, the center’s activities range from basic and applied research, to the exploration of new technologies through partnerships with industry. Major activities include pioneering research into materials discovery, advanced electronic interconnect structures, heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging, wideband gap semiconductors and devices, carbon-based materials and devices, power electronic devices and systems, new nanostructured materials architectures, harnessing of spectral control and sensing of light, development of new materials and systems for renewable energy, advanced composite materials and devices, solutions for the built environment, and new manufacturing methods.
The center operates several experimental facilities: the Micro and Nanoscale Cleanroom (MNCR), the Nanoscale Characterization Core (NCC) and Polymer Processing and Characterization Core (PPCC). The MNCR at RPI is a multi-user campus-wide core facility which provides critical support for a wide range of research and education in microelectronics, nanotechnology, advanced materials systems, energy, biotechnology, information technology, and other areas. The MNCR provides tools, infrastructure, and expertise for device design, end-to-end device fabrication, characterization, and testing of a wide range of sample sizes and material systems, such as silicon, compound semiconductors, and novel materials. The capabilities of the MNCR include the equipment, expertise, and staff to provide micro- and nano-fabrication modules of surface preparation, lithography, etching, metallization, dielectrics deposition, thin film characterization, metrology, and device probing. The NCC offers a powerful suite for imaging, spectrometry, and diffraction. At the NCC, the researchers interrogate structure and chemistry at the atomic to micro scales. Newly added atomic-resolution TEM/STEM is a critical expansion to it capabilities. The PPCC is a dedicated facility for characterization of both solids and soft matter, including polymers and composites. The instruments in this facility are used to characterize the structure, chemistry and mechanical properties of wide range of materials.
The cMDIS is the organizational home for the New York Focus Center for Interconnects for Gigascale Integration and for multiple other research programs. The cMDIS also interacts closely with and serves as a comprehensive research platform for other RPI centers, including the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES), and the Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC More broadly, CMDIS also serves as the coordinating center for the broad microelectronics initiatives at RPI.
Affiliated Faculty: Around 110 RPI faculty are currently members of the center, including representation from four schools and about a dozen departments.
Administrative Staff: Jody Amundson, Michael Burnett
Technical Staff: Xiaohong An, Pascal Bassene, James Czwakiel, Katharine Dovidenko, (Director of NCC), David Frey, Deniz Rende, Kent Way (Interim Director of MNCR)
Center for Modeling, Simulation and Imaging in Medicine (CeMSIM)
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Director: David Corr
Co-Director: Xavier Intes
Website: Center for Modeling, Simulation, & Imaging in Medicine | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The goal of the Center for Modeling, Simulation and Imaging in Medicine (CeMSIM) is to actively develop new healthcare technologies through close interdisciplinary collaborations towards clinical translation. Research within CeMSIM is aimed at technological innovations that push biomedical knowledge boundaries, improve biomedical system developments and clinical utility, and enhance healthcare practice.
Situated at the intersection of medicine and engineering, CeMSIM engages in fundamental and applied research in the fields of biomedical imaging; computational methods; Artificial Intelligence; biological systems modeling, manufacturing, and assessment; neuroengineering; and precision medicine in oncology. CeMSIM culture leverages grass-root multidisciplinary, diverse, and inclusive collaborations within RPI schools as well as local healthcare institutions. CeMSIM provides an integrated environment with clustered expertise in computational biomedical imaging, neuroimaging and neuromodulation, bioprinting/biofabrication, and modeling of biological tissues and systems. CeMSIM nurtures close relationships with leading national/international research institutions and research leaders, from basic science & engineering fields to clinical practice.
Affiliated Faculty: D. Corr, X. Intes, F. Faulstich, U. Kruger, A. Muñoz-Rojas, M. N’Gom, C. Puleo, S. Radev, Rahul, L. Wan, L. Zhang
Software Engineer: Vacant
Senior Research Scientist: Suvranu De (FSU)
Research Scientist: Vikas Pandey
Research Associate: Cuong Nguyen
Lecturer: Kartik Josyula
Postdoctoral Research Associates: Jerry Huang, Anil Kamat, Pascal Bassene
Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC)
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Executive Director: Dena Beard
Manager, Administrative Operations: Kimberly Gardner
Website: Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC)
The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) is RPI’s state-of-the-art performance and production space where architecture, art, science, research, and technology converge. The 220,000-square-foot facility holds four large venues, which serve as venues for campus events, studios for commissioned art projects, and research laboratories. The largest space accommodates up to 1,200 people, making EMPAC ideal for large performances and gatherings.
As both a performing arts center and a research laboratory, EMPAC empowers artists and scientists to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation, both independently and collaboratively. An expansive platform for interdisciplinary ideas and projects, EMPAC develops and presents experimental artistic projects of all genres; hosts a great variety of campus events; and supports residencies for research and development.
EMPAC’s advanced facilities are designed for projects that leverage the latest media and acoustic technologies. These unique environments engage the full range of human senses at a realistic, human scale, providing an unparalleled venue for immersive exploration and discovery.
Staff: , C. Abbott, K. Adams, D. Beard, D. Bebb, P. Bellamy, J. Braasch, E. Brucker, , S. Chabot, J. Cook, D. Davila-Evans, D. DelaRosa, K. Gardner, F. Grunfeld, M. Hanrahan, S. Johnson, M. Krantz, M. Lake, R. Massey, S. McLaughlin, A. Mosely, K. Muste, C. Nelson, M. Noel, S. O’Connor, S. Pohl, D. Reali, A. Regucera, C. Sendzik, K. Strosahl, J. Svatek, K. TeBordo, M. Valiquette, S. VanSandt, T. Vos, T. Willis
Darrin Freshwater Institute Center (DFWI)
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Acting Director: Dr. Kevin Rose
Website: Margaret A. and David M. Darrin ‘40 Fresh Water Institute | Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI)
The Margaret A. and David M. Darrin ‘40 Freshwater Institute is a Center at RPI that includes a field station on Lake George, an aquatic laboratory facility at the Rensselaer Technology Park, and numerous investigators from across the main campus. The mission of the Center is to take a science-driven, integrated approach using cutting-edge technology to help inform solutions to global issues in ecology and the environment. Focal research has historically focused on aquatic ecology but integrated many diverse fields.
Researchers participating in the Center work on a variety of topics from multiple perspectives including ecology, evolution, ecotoxicology, limnology, geology, paleobiology, engineering, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, cyberinfrastructure, and computer modeling. A major current research effort is The Jefferson Project at Lake George, was founded as a partnership between RPI, IBM, and the Lake George Association.
The goal of the Jefferson Project is to understand how lakes function and how humans influence the past, present, and future of aquatic ecosystems. In line with the mission of the Center, the Jefferson Project uses state-of-the-art ecological research, data science, and technologies to generate new insights into the most pressing issues facing water quality. Researchers combine lake monitoring, experiments, and modeling to understand the interactions of the regional weather, watershed runoff, lake circulation, and the food web. Several other large projects also are based at DFWI, including research for the Froehlich Foundation and SCALE, a Survey of Climate and Adirondack Lake Ecosystems.
The Lake George field station, located in Bolton Landing, NY, includes a renovated, year-round Educational Center (including lodging), several small cottages, a boathouse, a 7,500-square-foot laboratory facility for research and teaching, and the Helen-Jo and John E. Kelly III ‘78 Data Visualization Laboratory. On campus laboratories contain numerous instruments for many types of analyses.
Affiliated Faculty and Lecturers: J. Braasch, B. Castelloe-Kuehn, J. Dordick, J. Farrell, J. Hendler, K. High, J. Hurley, A. Kinchy, B. Larson, D. McGuinness, T. Morgan, S. Nierzwicki-Bauer, K. Rogers, K. Rose, K. Ruiz, S. Sawyer, M. Schaller, J. Shelley, M. Si, J. Stetler, S. Wagner, J. Wen
Research and Technical Staff: L. Ahrens, G. Auger, J. Beugly, J. Borrelli, M. Castro Berman, B. Fisher, A. Hrycik, M. Lucius, B. Mattes, M. Pelusi, G. Saunders, J. Schwitzgebel, D. Winkle, and K. Yerofeev
New York Fashion Innovation Center (NYFIC)
Director: Kenneth L. Simons
Associate Directors: Daniel Walczyk, Helen Zha
Website: Fashion Innovation Center | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The New York Fashion Innovation Center (NYFIC) is a consortium to nurture a New York State sustainable fashion industry. The core focus is to advance both natural textile products including bast fibers (notably hemp) and wool, and new-technology sustainable fibers and materials, so that they are manufactured in New York State from raw materials to final fashion products. The NYFIC was created in September 2023 with funding activated in May 2024. The NYFIC innovates sustainable fashion technologies, accelerates sustainable fashion business innovations, engages through meetings and activities, nurtures to spread knowledge and target supply chain gaps, and markets New York State’s sustainable fashion industry.
The NYFIC has several main components. Meetings and conferences bring together expertise to identify and seek to address technical challenges, supply chain gaps, and means for New York State sustainable fashion industry growth. Lab and pilot equipment facilities establish hubs to help anchor and expand the sustainable textile industry. A Product & Marketing Director and a Farm to Market Business Development Director introduce designers, brands, and retailers to relevant businesses to fill demands, and spread knowledge of the Center and the New York State sustainable fashion industry. An Economic and industry Analyst works to identify policies and opportunities for New York State sustainable fashion industry. An innovation accelerator provides small financial awards, training, technical mentoring, and networking to companies’ innovative projects in sustainable textiles in four main areas: agricultural processing, new materials and their manufacturing innovation, textile technology, and fashion use of sustainable materials.
Consortium members are: RPI (lead organization), Fashion Institute of Technology, The Field to Fiber Company, Hudson Valley Textile Project, Made X Hudson, and SUNY Morrisville.
Affiliated Faculty at RPI: K.L. Simons, D. Walczyk, H. Zha, J. Samuel
Staff at RPI:
Program Manager: Peter Ohlrich
Laboratory Manager: Clyde Carpenter
Economic & Industry Analyst: Yushuo Pan
Product & Marketing Director: Susan Easton
Business Manager: Tanya S. Rautine
Accelerator Coach: Eric Ledet
Additional staff, mentors, and participants are at other consortium organizations.
Network Science and Technology Center (NEST)
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Director: Boleslaw K. Szymanski
Website: Network Science and Technology Center (NeST) | Office for Research
The Network Science and Technology (NEST) Center conducts the fundamental science and engineering research on natural and technological networks, ranging from social and cognitive networks to computer networks. The growing understanding of network structures and dynamic processes arising in them combined with the novel designs of protocols for communication and algorithms for applications enable experts in the fields ranging from sociology to biology, medicine, physics, computer science, and engineering to apply the results of the center’s research in their specific disciplines.
NEST researchers study fundamental properties of networks, the processes underlying their evolution, and the paradigms for network engineering to enhance their desirable properties such as efficiency, reliability, and robustness. Research on natural networks focuses on cognitive models of net-centric interactions, on models for community creation and evolution, on the impact of mobility on network formation, on discovering dependencies between social, information, and communication networks, and on understanding the spread of opinions and ideologies among network nodes. Research on technological networks, such as computer, transportation and energy distribution networks, focuses on their optimal design from the point of view of flow maximization, fault tolerance, graceful degradation in case of partial damage, etc. In communication networks, NEST develops and studies network protocols and algorithms, especially for wireless and sensor networks, and studies interoperability of communication networks and computer systems. NEST actively transitions the developed protocols and algorithms to industrial practice and commercialization.
NEST partners with universities, national laboratories, and industry in large scientific programs targeting interdisciplinary research. NEST is the primary member of the Social Cognitive Network Academic Research Center (SCNARC), a part of the Network Science Collaborative Technology Alliance (NS-CTA), funded by collaborative agreements with ARL. Other supporters include NSF, DARPA, DTRA, ARO, ONR, and DHS.
Affiliated Faculty: S. Adali, J. Gao, J. Hendler, B. Holzbauer, H. Ji, K. Kar, G. Korniss, K. Kuzmin, C. Lim, M. Magdon-Ismail, T. Sharkey, F. Spear, B. Szymanski, W. Wallace, L. Xia
Postdoctoral Associate: D. Fregolent
Rensselaer Astrobiology Research and Education (RARE) Center
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Director: Karyn L. Rogers
Website: RARE | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Rensselaer Astrobiology Research and Education (RARE) Center is dedicated to exploring the origins, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe through innovative scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary education. Building on an extensive history in Origins of Life studies at RPI, we are committed to fostering a collaborative environment that brings together researchers, students, and educators to explore the profound questions about life’s beginnings and its place in the cosmos. We work at the intersection of planetary science, geology, chemistry, biology, and computer science to address some of the most profound questions humanity has ever asked: How did life begin? and Are we alone?
RARE brings together faculty and students from across RPI, throughout the country, and across the globe, to collaborate on research that advances the science of astrobiology—from the prebiotic chemistry that gives rise to life, to biosignature detection on Mars and elsewhere. The center’s research integrates expertise in geology and geochemistry, systems chemistry, planetary materials, spectroscopy, data science, machine learning, geobiology, and origin-of-life studies. Our focus on the emergence of life on Earth is predicated on the novel premise that the evolution of life’s first biomolecules was driven by geologic conditions on early Earth, which can be discerned through innovative and agnostic experimental and computational approaches to prebiotic and planetary chemistry.
A hallmark of the RARE Center is the Early Earth Laboratory, which can simulate planetary conditions across a range of environments. Our high-pressure and high-temperature facilities can replicate deep-sea hydrothermal vents and ridge-flank hydrothermal systems in batch, flow-through, fluid-mixing, and packed-bed reactors. Our three-phase systems simulate surface hot springs and pools, incorporating atmospheric chemistry and air-water-mineral interfaces into prebiotic chemistry networks. This one-of-a-kind laboratory is easily adapted to planetary systems on early Mars and other Ocean Worlds, including Enceladus and Europa. This experimental facility is complemented by a suite of analytical capabilities, including HPLC-MS, GC-FID, GC-PPD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and NMR, among others.
Combined with these experimental and analytical capabilities, RARE is distinguished by its emphasis on data-driven discovery. We apply a variety of data science and AI/ML techniques to develop new databases and tools for the astrobiology community. Our knowledge integration and semantic inference approaches combine multimodal data from missions such as NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover, meteorite studies, asteroid return missions, and experimental outcomes to characterize the abiotic organic inventory across the solar system. Our interactive visualization and analysis tools enable new approaches for understanding planetary habitability, provide critical insights to identify biosignature targets, and also guide experimental design.
A critical part of RARE’s mission is education, inspiration, and opportunity for the next generation of astrobiologists. The center provides research experiences for local high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars, emphasizing cross-disciplinary training and mentoring. Within RPI’s School of Science, we offer an undergraduate minor in Astrobiology.
RARE has deep ties with the NASA Astrobiology Program, and serves as a co-lead for NASA’s Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environments Consortium. This Research Coordination Networt contributes to the national astrobiology community by sponsoring and organizing workshops, community white papers, a virtual seminar series, mini-symposia, and early career scientist activities.
Affiliated Faculty: Karyn L. Rogers, Eric Ameres, Kurt Anderson, Kristin Bennett, John Erickson, James Hendler, Kristin Johnson-Finn, George Makhatadze ,Guy Montelione, Moussa N’Gom, Matthew Pasek, Nick Platts, Cathy Royer, Shayla Sawyer, Andrew Steele, Matt Weller.
Critical National and International partners: Washington University in St. Louis, Scripps Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Yale University, Oberlin College, University of Colorado-Boulder, Universite de Bordeaux/ICMCB, University of Hawaii, Carnegie Science, University of Rochester, University of Utah, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Pennsylvania, NASA Ames Research Center, Georgia Tech, University of California Riverside, Southwest Research Institute, GFZ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Technical University Munich,
Administrative Staff: Lauren Alvarado
Research Scientists: Vince Riggi, Maheen Gull, Tian Feng
Postdoctoral Researchers: Ellie Hara, Brenda Thomson
Research Focus Areas:
Prebiotic chemistry and origin-of-life studies
Biosignature detection and planetary habitability
Spectral and mineralogical data analytics
AI/ML for scientific knowledge synthesis
Astrobiology ontology and data integration
Field analogs and laboratory simulations
STEM outreach and interdisciplinary education
Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA)
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Director: James Hendler
Website: Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA) | Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA)
The vision of The New Polytechnic is supported by The Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA). This breakthrough initiative brings together key research areas and advanced technologies to revolutionize the way we use data in science, engineering, and virtually every other research and educational discipline. By bridging the gaps between analytics, modeling and simulation we continue the RPI tradition as a leader in applying critical technologies to improving everyday life and meeting the challenges of the future. IDEA enables research across the campus to access such technologies via the development of critical computational methodologies including data-intensive supercomputing, large-scale agent-based simulation, and cognitive computing technologies.
Sub-thrusts:
Data-Driven Medical and Health-Care Applications: Research explores areas including personalized and mobile medical care, improved health-care analytics, and new data-based approaches to driving down the cost of medical care.
Business Analytics: Critical infrastructure challenges arise in areas such as supply-chain network analysis and predictive analytics for modeling markets and other dynamic systems.
Built and Natural Environments/Smart Cities: Increasing capabilities for monitoring both natural and built ecologies can lead to significant environmental advances for society. Projects scale in range from studying the molecular “biomes” that arise in urban environments to modeling large-scale environments and ecological climate effects.
Agents in Virtual and Augmented Reality: New computational technologies are needed not just for modeling built and natural systems, but also the social systems that result from how people live and work in both the cyber and physical worlds. Additionally the visualization and analysis of very large datasets requires new approaches to multi-user, multimodal data interaction technologies. New and scalable agent-based technologies using both cognitive and supercomputing techniques are also a focus of this research.
Data-Centric Engineering: Engineering design is based on the modeling of processes, devices, and systems. Increasingly, large-scale data analysis and predictive data technologies are being used to inform the engineering models. Bridging the gap between analytics and modeling is thus a crucial capability to the future of rapidly developing and improving engineered systems.
Cybersecurity and Network Analysis: Increasingly threats to society are growing where the networked systems of modern cyberspace come into contact with physical control systems and the social systems of people.
Data-Driven Basic Science: The use of data-driven techniques for helping scientists with their basic research has grown to the point where some now refer to this as the “Fourth Paradigm” of science. The growing area of “Semantic eScience” is another key area of research.
Policy, Ethics, and Open Data: The big-data and supercomputing revolution has the power to change the world for the better. However, it also comes with a dark side. This sub-thrust focuses on how the benefits are achieved while controlling for the threats posed by ill-informed policy creation, unethical collection and use of data, and the tension between open data and privacy protections.
Affiliated Faculty: S. Adali, E. Ameres, J. Bailey, K. Bennett, , J. Braasch, S. Bringsjord, C. Carothers, T. Chen, J. Dordick, S. Dunn, K. Fraser, S. Garde, V. Ghosal, J. Hahn, J. Hendler, J. Holguin-Veras, R. Hull, J. Hurley, R. Ivanov, J. Kuruzovich, J. Lin, L. Liu, M. Magdon-Ismail, L. Manikonda, D. McGuinness, M. McShane, D. Nevo, S. Pan, S. Paternain, J. Pazour, T. Ravichandran, R. Relyea, T. Rhone, K. Rogers, J. Samuel, D. Schwendeman, P. Search, O. Seneviratne, M. Si, S. Smith, B. Szymanski, T. Strzalkowski, D. Vashishth, Y. Wang, L. Xia, B. Yener, M. Zaki
Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC)
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Director: Mark S. Shephard
Website: Scientific Computation Research Center | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer’s Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC) is focused on the development, and application, of reliable modeling and simulation technologies for engineers, scientists, medical professionals, and other practitioners. SCOREC develops computational techniques and associated software that takes full advantage of the latest advances in heterogeneous high-performance computing hardware including combinations of CPUs, accelerators (GPUs, APUs) and quantum circuits, and contributes to the latest advances in HPC, scientific AI/ML and scientific quantum algorithms. SCOREC research areas include PDE discretization methods, AI/ML in scientific computing, multiscale computations, a parallel unstructured mesh infrastructure for continuum and particle simulations, quantum scientific computation, and high-fidelity design optimization.
SCOREC partners with universities, national laboratories, and industry on the construction of simulation workflows. Current areas of simulation workflow development include fluid flow, modeling of fusion energy systems, plasma physics, modeling sea and land ice, modeling biological tissues, and computational microelectronics. The majority of the software tools developed by SCOREC employ open-source licenses. As part of this research. SCOREC actively transitions the simulation technologies developed to industrial practice and commercialization through software companies.
SCOREC Researchers: J.W. Banks, M.A. Bloomfield, C.D. Carothers, A. Castillo-Crooke, F. Faulstich, P. Hajela, J.E. Hicken, A. Hoening, F. Li, A.M. Maniatty, J.S. Merson, S. Pan, C.R. Picu, O.M. Raisuddin, O. Sahni, M.S. Shephard, C.W. Smith, B. Sturdevant, O. Tumuklu, S. Yu, L. Zhang
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