As we look forward to an exciting 2024, a few of the faculty at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have peered into the future – no crystal ball required. From cutting-edge technologies to revolutionary breakthroughs, our expert faculty members have shared some high-level predictions for what's in store in their respective fields in the coming year:
Advancing Resource Recovery and Reuse in Wastewater
Junhong Chen
Crown Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and Lead Water Strategist at Argonne National Laboratory
“With the current administration’s focus on slowing down climate change through decarbonization, there will be more research and research funding toward resource recovery from wastewater and a higher percentage of water reuse. Recoverable resources in wastewater include freshwater, nutrients, critical minerals and energy. To maximize water reuse, critical contaminants in water such as PFAS will need to be taken out.
Research toward selective detection and separation of PFAS and critical resources in water will accelerate in 2024. More research will leverage the power of molecular engineering and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) to help address the challenges of precision detection and separation, as well as the optimization of water resource recovery and water reuse systems.”
Harnessing the Power of Stem Cells and AI
Huanhuan Joyce Chen
Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering and in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research
“The anticipated expansion of stem cell research combined with artificial intelligence (AI) suggests a future where increasingly complex algorithms will be pivotal in modeling stem cell behavior and forecasting their differentiation paths. This advancement is poised to enhance the efficiency of stem cell cultivation and guide their transformation into specific cell types for therapeutic purposes.
Furthermore, the convergence of AI and stem cell technologies is set to revolutionize personalized medicine. Cutting-edge tools, leveraging AI, are expected to be developed for the in-depth analysis of individual genetic and clinical profiles, leading to personalized treatments that are not only more effective but also minimize side effects. Additionally, human cell-based predictive models, powered by AI, are slated to play a crucial role in disease control. Such models would be instrumental in predicting disease outbreaks, identifying emergent pathogens, or projecting disease spread patterns. This foresight is expected to bolster human preparedness and resilience in the face of potential future pandemics.”
Breaking Boundaries with Quantum Materials
Shuolong Yang
Assistant Professor, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
“In the field of quantum materials, scientists synthesize, characterize, and deploy new materials for quantum physics in the broadest sense. My prediction for 2024 is that the transport of topologically protected quantum information over macroscopic distances (> 1 mm) and at realistic temperatures (at least tens of degrees Fahrenheit above the absolute zero temperature) may be realized. In the last 20 years, one of the most rapidly developing sub-fields in quantum materials is topological materials. In these materials, electrical transport is realized on “quantum highways” on the surfaces or edges where backscattering of electrons is prohibited due to the fundamental organization principles.
However, in the last two decades all the realized “quantum highways” have been observed either at extremely low temperatures (within a fraction of a degree above the absolute zero), or extremely small length scales (< 0.01 mm), making these quantum highways much less useful for realistic large scale quantum applications. However, we are seeing rapid progress to overcome both difficulties. The key is to make macroscopically coherent quantum materials which also exhibit the fundamental physics to embody the topological protection at higher temperatures. I also believe that scientists at PME and the University of Chicago will play an important role in this endeavor, leveraging our cross-disciplinary nature and strong expertise in materials synthesis, fabrication, and device integration, as well as our strong connections with the Argonne National Laboratory.”
AI's Transformative Role in Energy Storage
Chibueze Amanchukwu
Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering
“The excitement of AI across society at large will permeate further into solving challenges in energy storage and conversion. For the year 2024, I anticipate greater research focus on the intersection of AI and energy materials discovery. How can we leverage the fundamental advances in generative AI, large language models, and autonomous robotic experimentation to solve challenges in energy materials and devices? I can't wait for what 2024 brings.”
Controlling Errors to Unlock the Quantum Frontier
Liang Jiang
Professor of Molecular Engineering
“I investigate quantum systems and explore various quantum applications, such as quantum sensing, quantum transduction, quantum communication and quantum computation. My research focuses on using quantum control and error correction to protect quantum information from decoherence to realize robust quantum information processing. In the coming year, I expect more interesting theoretical proposals and experimental demonstrations of quantum advantages with potentially useful applications to emerge. I also anticipate achieving better control of our quantum systems, enabling exploration of various quantum error correction schemes, and even demonstrating improved quantum operations at the encoded level.”
In conclusion, 2024 holds great promise for groundbreaking innovations in engineering, spearheaded by the researchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. Get ready for a year of remarkable engineering advancements!