ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MATERIALS & PROCESSING

Apply for R&D project funds

The Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI) annually supports Faculty-Industry Applied Research (FIAR) opportunities. The FIAR program focuses on opportunities to foster applied research efforts that drive economic growth and impact with commercial value to materials and manufacturing businesses in New York State.

By partnering with a UB faculty researcher, materials and manufacturing companies can gain access to funds for collaborative R&D and prototyping projects up to $50K in areas such as clean energy, environment, sensors, semiconductors, AI and wireless technology.

A close-up macro photograph of a circular metal disc with copper and silver colored surfaces, viewed through what appears to be a glass or transparent container. The disc has a small hole in its center and concentric circular patterns. The image has a purple-tinted background with blurred flower petals or purple elements framing the edges of the frame. The lighting creates a reflective, metallic sheen on the surfaces.

Steps to apply

All projects must have: a materials component; computational component; interested industry partner with a clear, vested interest in commercialization of technologies; and a commitment to broadening participation and impact.

  1. Review full RFP for project requirements. 
  2. Submit completed letter of intent below by February 27, 2026.
    If you have questions, please email Michael Zasowksi at zasowski@buffalo.edu as soon as possible to learn more.
  3. Based on the alignment with a FIAR focus area, the CMI will invite faculty-company teams to submit a full project proposal, due no later than 4:00 pm on April 24, 2026.

Not ready to submit? Check out our other advanced manufacturing resources.

Featured Collaborations

close-up of a precision machine with a nozzle depositing patterns on a metal surface.

Copprium

Luis R. De Jesús Báez, PhD
Advance AI-driven discovery of molecular copper inks, building on prior data to optimize conductive ink formulations

Semiconductor diode in the circuit board.

Cubefabs

Uttam Singisetti, PhD
Develop high-voltage semiconductor diodes to enable reliable, efficient power for EVs and AI infrastructure

An MRI machine is positioned in a hospital, showcasing advanced imaging technology.

Ferric Contrast

Janet Morrow, PhD
Develop multinuclear Fe(III) complexes as sustainable MRI contrast agents to replace gadolinium-based products

Free Form Fibers

James Chen, PhD and
Wei Chen, PhD
Develop CeramShield AI, a fine-tuned generative model to optimize ceramic matrix composites manufacturing incorporating LCVD-produced materials

Quantum processor chip powerful supercomputer, Modern technology and computing concept on virtual screen.

HYPRES

Bibhudatta Sahoo, PhD
Develop compact, precision multi-channel current sources to bias RSFQ logic and superconducting qubits for scalable quantum computing

materials informatics.

materialsIN

Krishna Rajan, ScD
Enhance materialsIN’s materials informatics platform to optimize processes and detect anomalies across diverse industrial applications

Ashokan reservoir.

Multisorb

Paschalis Alexandridis, PhD
and Marina Tsianou, PhD
Commercialize eco-friendly drug disposal solutions that prevent pharmaceutical contamination in landfills and water systems

A plasma-electrochemical reactor developed by the team of UB faculty member Chris Li can convert nitrogren in the air into ammonia without a carbon footprint. Photo: Douglas Levere.

PlasmaChem Solutions, Inc.

Y. Chris Li, PhD
Combining machine learning-driven catalyst discovery with experimental validation to develop efficient NOx-to-ammonia conversion technologies, advancing PlasmaChem’s prototype reactor development

UB Letter of Intent

Project period July 1, 2026 ‐ June 30, 2027