Researchers at Washington State University’s Cer3D ceramics research center have secured $3.6 million in funding from the Department of Defense.

The funding will support the center’s initiatives focused on modeling, machine learning, and data informatics with the aim of enhancing the discovery, design, and development of materials suitable for extreme environments.

While the program emphasizes basic scientific research, it aligns with the Department of Defense’s goals of advancing fundamental knowledge that could contribute to the development of next-generation vehicles, soldier protection, and air and missile defense systems.

Additionally, the research conducted within the Cer3D program may have broader applications across various industries, including nuclear power, mineral extraction, and aerospace engineering.

WSU Professor Scott Beckman noted, “We’re looking at how to better produce, more effectively use, or replace critical materials technologies. Can we process them to use less of these materials? Can we utilize these limited resources in a more intelligent manner?”