Strategic Plan ( Short, Mid, and Long-Term Goals)

1. Position IMMS as National Asset for Civil and Military Aviation and Transportation S&T

a. Advance unique computational capabilities to explore and innovate multi-disciplinary S&T at different length and time scales to achieve desirable macroscopic characteristics for near or real-time applications (Short-term). IMMS will leverage TTU new and existing assets to: enable the sequencing of material genome to produce a desirable Digital Nanomaterial Architecture (DNA), advance 3D manufacturing technology, and fabricate mechanical and structural components with significantly improved longevity; extraordinary performance; and self-awareness. (Mid/Long-Term)

b. With supports from the Office of the President and Vice President for Research, IMMS will seek collaboration with the Reese Technology Center, civil and military Aviation partners, and Lubbock and Texas State stakeholders to establish the Aviation System Integration Laboratory (SIL) to enable virtual reality and integrated computation, modeling, test, and analysis research capabilities for aviation futuristic concept and technology demonstration and integration. (Mid/Long-Term)

 

2. Establish the International Wind Energy Technology Development Epicenter

a. Wind energy becomes a major component of the World's plan to accommodate today and future energy needs. Consequently, wind turbines have become a critical technology to produce renewable energy throughout the world. Due to the current wind turbine technology limitations, significant penalties in efficiency and maintainability as well as sustainability still exist and prevent us from achieving highly effective energy harnessment. In collaboration with the Texas Tech University National Wind Institute, IMMS will lead national and international initiatives to enable the robust and comprehensive computation capability, engineered materials, and self-awareness technology to bring to market the next generation of American-made clean energy technologies including highly efficient, design-for-life, and "maintenance-free" wind turbines. (Short/Mid/Long-Term)

 

3. Establish Center for Science for Autonomous Prognosis and Healing for Longevity Sustainment

a. Position IMMS as a leading partner aiming at the futuristic capability of artificial intelligent architectures for self-sustaining and extending the design life of manned and unmanned platforms or mechanical and structural systems with little or no maintenance. The research enables platforms with the intelligent machine learning and direct feedback capability. Integrate a suite of advanced real-time health monitoring and sensing fusion, virtual computation and risk-assessment, and adaptation technologies. The outcomes of the collaborative research will

(a) substantially reduce sea/ground/air infrastructure and mechanical/structural system catastrophic failures, 

(b) improve safety of air travelers and survivability of warfighters, 

(c) support the Nation's military forces in conducting expeditionary missions with minimum logistic demands and supplies, and 

(d) significantly reduce the Nation's operation and sustainment including inspection/repair costs of infrastructures and civil/military vehicles. (Short/Mid/Long-Term)

 

4. Secure strategic partnerships with federal laboratories, other academic institutes, industries, and small businesses for technology transfer, commercialization, and fielding

a. Strategically seeks viable partners to share similar S&T vision and goals, advance technologies and capabilities, transfer the products, assist in the commercialization, and ensure sustainability. (Short/Mid/Long-Term)

 

5. Selectively create attractive research initiatives to produce well-planned research and thesis with high value for potential integration and commercialization:

a. Train and provide the next-generation of world-class scientists and engineers who will perform extraordinarily to achieve "breakthrough" scientific results for the benefits of mankind. Additionally, IMMS will create paths and nourish inspiration for students' entrepreneurial minds and ambition to support the Nation's economic growth. (Short/Mid/Long-Term)