IN-MaC - College of Engineering - Purdue University

Indiana's manufacturing strength is built on innovation, and at Purdue Engineering, we're committed to advancing that leadership through cutting-edge research and technology development. As Director of IN-MaC's engineering research initiatives, I'm proud to lead our three, world-class IN-MaC-funded centers —the Composites Manufacturing & Simulation Center (CMSC), the Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories (MMRL), and the William D, and Sherry L. Young Institute for the Advanced Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals— in partnership with industry and government to transform manufacturing for the future.

Together, we're building the technologies, partnerships, and solutions that will strengthen Indiana's manufacturing competitiveness and training the next-generation work force for decades to come. I invite you to explore how our research is transforming manufacturing across the state.

-Nikhilesh Chawla, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Ransburg Professor in the School of Materials Engineering

Nikhilesh Chawla is Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Ransburg Professor in the School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University. He joined Purdue in 2020, after previously serving as Founding Director of the Center for 4D Materials Science and Fulton Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Arizona State University. Prof. Chawla received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1997. He was a postdoctoral fellow jointly at Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan, and a senior development engineer at Hoeganaes Corporation. He has served as the inaugural Associate Dean for Engineering in Indianapolis, Acting Head of the School of Materials Engineering, and Co-Director of the Semiconductor Degree Programs at Purdue.

Prof. Chawla’s research is in the area Four-Dimensional (4D) materials science with a particular emphasis on the deformation behavior of advanced materials at bulk and small length scales. He has co-authored over 320 refereed journal publications (Web of Science h-index of 56; Google Scholar h-index of 71) and over 620 presentations in these areas. He has close to 19,000 citations to his work. He is the author of the textbook Metal Matrix Composites (co-authored with K.K. Chawla), published by Springer.

The College of Engineering's IN-MaC research efforts focus on advancing the state of practice through digital transformation of manufacturing. We accomplish this by:

• Creating breakthrough understanding of next-generation methods and tools through technology adoption and demonstration
• Conducting applied and translational research that accelerates innovation from lab to industry
• Developing technologies, prototypes, and intellectual property that strengthen American manufacturing competitiveness
• Partnering with industry and government to reduce the time from discovery to deployment

Within Purdue, IN-MaC is equally divided between two colleges:

• Purdue College of Engineering leads research, innovation, and technology development
• Purdue Polytechnic Institute focuses on workforce development and manufacturing education

This strategic division ensures comprehensive impact, from training tomorrow's workforce to developing the technologies they'll use to transform manufacturing.

Born from the need to renew America's leadership in advanced manufacturing, IN-MaC represents a unique collaboration bringing together Purdue University, Ivy Tech, Vincennes University, leading companies, small and medium manufacturers (SMEs), and the State of Indiana.

The Hard Tech Corridor Vision

IN-MaC supports Purdue's vision of a "hard tech corridor" between West Lafayette and Indianapolis, amplifying digital, physical, and sustainable industrial transformation impact across the state. With research facilities at both ends of I-65, IN-MaC centers provide accessible resources for Indiana manufacturers while positioning the state as a destination for advanced manufacturing innovation.

• Industry partners seeking R&D partnerships, technology demonstration, or prototyping services
• Federal agencies pursuing manufacturing research initiatives
• Academic institutions interested in collaborative research
• Graduate students seeking cutting-edge research opportunities
• Faculty from across Purdue's College of Engineering