This conference addresses the current lack of large polymer sequence-structure datasets, which currently limits the application of AI-driven design in the field and serves to facilitate integration across several academic units, including Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computational and Theoretical Biosciences. This multidisciplinary engagement strengthens efforts to connect theory, simulation, and experiment, positioning Rice at the forefront of the development of architected materials with programmable structure–function relationships.
The conference also leverages Rice University's Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP)’s expertise in bridging the physical and biological sciences, specifically applying theories of protein folding landscapes to the rational design of synthetic materials. Investigating how sequence-encoded interactions can emulate behaviors associated with quantum phenomena allows this workshop to contribute to the materials foundations of emerging technologies, such as systems capable of supporting quantum coherence and responsive information processing.
* This conference is supported by The Office of Research’s Creative Ventures.