Our Group

The future will be built from materials that don't exist yet. The TIME Group at Colorado School of Mines is inventing them faster. We unite artificial intelligence with hands-on experimentation, creating self-driving laboratories that design, create, and test materials with unprecedented speed and precision. This approach of closing the loop between atomic-scale design and real-world device performance allows us to achieve mastery over the entire materials lifecycle. From a single atom to a finished device, we are delivering the breakthroughs in energy, computing, and sensing needed for a more resilient and intelligent world.

Our Research Themes

We pursue our mission through four interconnected research themes:

• Unveiling Structure and Function with Atomic-Scale Precision: We watch materials work—and fail—in real time. By revealing the atomic structures at critical interfaces, we can engineer materials with the exact properties needed for high-performance batteries, catalysts, and electronics.

• Architecting Devices Across Scales: A single misplaced atom can cause an entire device to fail. We build the bridge from the atomic scale to the macro world, identifying the root causes of failure in semiconductors and quantum systems to architect more robust and reliable next-generation technologies.

• Directed Materials Synthesis in Extreme Environments: Advanced materials must survive the harshest conditions, from the vacuum of space to the inside of a reactor. We go beyond observing damage; we use focused energy beams to precisely sculpt materials atom-by-atom, creating novel structures that are purpose-built to withstand extreme environments.

• Autonomous Discovery for Accelerated Insight: Materials discovery has traditionally been a marathon. We are turning it into a sprint. We build intelligent microscopes and self-driving labs that design, run, and analyze experiments faster than any human team, dramatically accelerating the timeline for developing new energy and quantum materials

Join Our Team

Now Recruiting: Ph.D. Student for Summer 2026

• Position: A fully-funded Ph.D. position is available for a highly motivated student to join my research group, starting in Summer 2026.

• Research Focus: The project will involve pioneering autonomous microscopy and AI/ML methods to design next-generation materials for power electronics as part of the DOE APEX Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC).

• Unique Opportunity: Conduct your primary research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) while earning your Ph.D. through the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering department at the Colorado School of Mines.

• Apply Now: Interested candidates are encouraged to apply directly to the Mines MME program here: https://gradprograms.mines.edu/program/metallurgical-and-materials-engineering/

We are a growing team of scientists and engineers passionate about the future of materials. We are always looking for new students, postdocs, and collaborators to join us. Interested in joining? See our open positions and contact us.

☎ CONTACT US

Unveiling Structure and Function with Atomic Precision

Many of a material’s most important properties emerge from the single layer of atoms where it meets another. We specialize in mapping these critical interfaces to harness their unique chemistry and emergent properties for next-generation devices.

Architecting Devices Across Scales

A single atomic flaw can cause an entire device to fail. We connect these minor perturbations in material synthesis pathways to real-world device performance, identifying the root causes of failure to architect more powerful and reliable technologies.

Directed Materials Synthesis in Extreme Environments

Next-generation technologies require materials that perform reliably in the harshest conditions. We study the transient defect formation that occurs in these environments and develop new methods to direct synthesis pathways, creating materials with tailored properties built to last.

Autonomous Discovery for Accelerated Insight

Materials discovery has been a marathon; we’re turning it into a sprint. We advance autonomous science by building intelligent microscopes and automation platforms that use sparse data analytics to experiment faster than any human, revolutionizing the design and characterization of new materials.