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Revolutionizing Materials Design with Computational Modeling

Material scientists at BU use computers housed at the MGHPCC as they seek to understand and predict functional material properties using first-principles electronic structure methods.

The Sharifzadeh Group at Boston University uses computational modeling to understand and predict the electronic and optical properties of materials, with applications in energy conversion, electronics, and nanotechnology. The group specializes in first-principles quantum mechanical simulations, which allow for the exploration of complex materials at the atomic and electronic levels without relying on experimental data. These simulations provide critical insights into how materials behave under different conditions, enabling the design of new materials with tailored properties for specific applications.

A key focus of the Sharifzadeh Group’s research is the study of organic and inorganic semiconductors, which are crucial for developing next-generation solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and transistors. The group uses advanced density functional theory (DFT) and many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) techniques to model how electrons interact in these materials, predicting their conductivity, exciton dynamics, and energy band structures.

The group also investigates two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, which hold promise for use in flexible electronics and energy storage. By simulating these materials' unique electronic and optical properties, the Sharifzadeh Group aims to uncover fundamental design principles that can guide experimental research and accelerate the development of new technologies for energy-efficient devices and materials.

Sahar Sharifzadeh
Associate Professor, Boston University

Research projects

A Future of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Yale Budget Lab
Volcanic Eruptions Impact on Stratospheric Chemistry & Ozone
Towards a Whole Brain Cellular Atlas
Tornado Path Detection
The Kempner Institute - Unlocking Intelligence
The Institute for Experiential AI
Taming the Energy Appetite of AI Models
Surface Behavior
Studying Highly Efficient Biological Solar Energy Systems
Software for Unreliable Quantum Computers
Simulating Large Biomolecular Assemblies
SEQer - Sequence Evaluation in Realtime
Revolutionizing Materials Design with Computational Modeling
Remote Sensing of Earth Systems
Quantum Computing in Renewable Energy Development
Pulling Back the Quantum Curtain on ‘Weyl Fermions’
New Insights on Binary Black Holes
NeuraChip
Network Attached FPGAs in the OCT
Monte Carlo eXtreme (MCX) - a Physically-Accurate Photon Simulator
Modeling Hydrogels and Elastomers
Modeling Breast Cancer Spread
Impact of Marine Heatwaves on Coral Diversity
IceCube: Hunting Neutrinos
Genome Forecasting
Global Consequences of Warming-Induced Arctic River Changes
Exact Gravitational Lensing by Rotating Black Holes
Evolution of Viral Infectious Disease
Evaluating Health Benefits of Stricter US Air Quality Standards
Ephemeral Stream Water Contributions to US Drainage Networks
Energy Transport and Ultrafast Spectroscopy Lab
Electron Heating in Kinetic-Alfvén-Wave Turbulence
Discovering Evolution’s Master Switches
Dexterous Robotic Hands
Developing Advanced Materials for a Sustainable Energy Future
Detecting Protein Concentrations in Assays
Denser Environments Cultivate Larger Galaxies
Deciphering Alzheimer's Disease
Dancing Frog Genomes
Cyber-Physical Communication Network Security
Asteroid Data Mining
Analyzing the Gut Microbiome
Adaptive Deep Learning Systems Towards Edge Intelligence
Accelerating Rendering Power
ACAS X: A Family of Next-Generation Collision Avoidance Systems
Neurocognition at the Wu Tsai Institute, Yale
Computational Modeling of Biological Systems
Computational Molecular Ecology
Social Capital and Economic Mobility
Building for Floods
Better Pathogen Targeting
Tracking Environmental Health Risks
AI for Cancer Diagnosis
Microplastic-Free by Design
Supporting Data-intensive Social Science
Sailing the Symbiosis Seascape
Wrangle Range Modeling
Shining a Light on Dark Matter
Grid Responsive Data Centers
Multifunctional 3D-Printed Materials
AI Pareidolia
Computing Hidden Health Threats from Heat
Staving off the Banana Apocalypse
CRISPR Mice, Smarter Science
AI That Speaks Human About Health
A Safer Way to See Inside Cells
How Monkeys - and Machines - See in 3D
FlowER: AI for Predicting Chemical Reactions
Bone Ratios and Big Data
Supercomputers Reveal Ancient Atmospheric Battle
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Collaborative projects

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Outreach & Education Projects

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