Mischaikow

Konstantin Mischaikow's mathematics has been energized to the tune of $1 million. The Georgia Tech professor believes mathematics is the key to production of clean energy, manufacturing of ever-smaller computer chips and development of nanomaterials.

And he has a $1.13 million award from the Department of Energy to prove his point.

"Materials produce geometric patterns that change over time in very complicated ways," Mischaikow said. "This complexity makes it difficult to keep track of and interpret those changes using standard techniques. Homology is a mathematical tool that allows us to quantify these patterns and in the future, perhaps even help control the geometric structures.

"Take drug delivery, for example. A pill delivers an active ingredient, but the release occurs when the pill surface dissolves. If you want to control the delivery rate of the drug, you have to control the size and shape of the cavity holding the drug so it dissolves uniformly," he said.

Tech physics professor Mike Schatz and Mischaikow will collaborate with researchers from George Mason and Florida Atlantic universities in the three-year project.

The awards, totaling more than $20 million, will provide funding for 100 researchers at 17 universities and eight national laboratories.

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