We are proud to announce that CRC 1333 Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. Blazej Grabowski has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant worth EUR 2.5 million by the European Research Council (ERC) for his project “META-LEARN”. ERC Advanced Grants are among the most prestigious research awards worldwide and honor established researchers with outstanding scientific achievements.
Photo Credit: University of Stuttgart / Max Kovalenko
With his ERC Advanced Grant project “META-LEARN – Meta-Learned Machine-Learning Interatomic Potentials for Ab initio Engineering of Chemical and Microstructural Complexity”, Blazej Grabowski aims to optimize simulation methods for materials design by combining quantum-based approaches with machine learning concepts.
Whether it’s a high-performance turbine resistant to heat and corrosion, a flame-retardant battery, or an efficient hydrogen storage system, targeted materials design can significantly improve product performance, safety, and lifespan. However, designing materials with tailored properties requires a detailed understanding of their complex chemical composition and microstructure.
Modern materials research increasingly relies on quantum-based computer simulations to achieve this understanding. In recent years, machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs)—mathematical models that describe interactions between atoms—have dramatically improved the precision and flexibility of these simulations. Instead of relying solely on rigid formulas, MLIPs utilize machine learning to adapt and learn from data.
“MLIPs could revolutionize materials design – if we learn how to fully harness their potential,” says Blazej Grabowski.
With META-LEARN, Grabowski and his team are pushing the boundaries of materials simulation, paving the way for a new generation of efficient, safe materials.
Photo Credit: University of Stuttgart / Max Kovalenko
Prof. Grabowski is one of only two professors at the University of Stuttgart to receive this honor this year. The second awardee is Prof. Dr. Laura Na Liu, Head of the 2nd Physics Institute, who was recognized for her ERC project “Engineered DNA Moiré Superlattices (DMoS)” at the forefront of DNA nanotechnology.