Research institutes, centers, and intiatives

Major research institutes

Research centers and initiatives

Center for the Engineering and Resilience for Climate Adaptation

The Center for the Engineering and Resilience for Climate Adaptation is an interdisciplinary research center committed to developing a suite of novel methods, tools, and analyses needed to incorporate climate change impacts into engineering infrastructure designs and decision-making. Headquartered in CMU’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, the center brings together world-class engineering, climate science, social science, and public policy researchers from around the world to advance the state of knowledge in engineering and resilience for climate adaptation.

Bioengineering Organs Initiative

The Bioengineering Organs Initiatives aims to save lives by increasing the amount of organs available to patients in need. Its multidisciplinary research team is designing, creating, and testing a new generation of long-term replacement organs engineered from a combination of bioprinted cellular and synthetic materials. This lifesaving technology has the potential to one day eliminate the current organ transplant waiting list.

Center for Data-driven Material Design of Multifunctional Material Systems

The Center for Data-Driven Design of Multifunctional Material Systems leverages the strengths and talents of Carnegie Mellon University and the Air Force Research Laboratory in materials and computer research to establish a pipeline of research talent with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and materials science and to advance the materials science field by integrating AI into materials research and design.

Center for Software-defined Nanosatellite Constellations

A software-defined constellation is a collection of nanosatellites capable of autonomously sensing the environment, processing data, and cooperatively planning and taking mechanical actions. The Center for Software-defined Nanosatellite Constellations realizes this vision through cross-cutting cyber-physical systems research spanning computer systems, control, planning, actuation, machine learning, and communications.

Center for Quantum Computing and Information Technologies

The Center for Quantum Computing and Information Technologies is bringing together an industry consortium, government laboratories, faculty, and students to apply quantum computing and information technologies to solve practical problems that cannot be addressed with classical systems. The National Science Foundation and the consortium support the center's work.

Human+AI Design Initiative

The Human+AI Design Initiative democratizes engineering design through research, teaching, and applications of human-AI collaboration. Specifically, the initiatives researchers aim to develop and assess AI agents that collaborate with humans both as individuals and through teams; apply those AI agents to previously unsolved problems in engineering and design; and prepare the next generation of AI engineering practitioners and researchers through teaching and training efforts.

Mobility Data and Analytics Center

The Mobility Data and Analytics Center aims to collect, integrate, and learn from the massive amounts of mobility data and contribute to the development of smarter multi-modal multijurisdictional transportation systems to provide archived and real-time traffic data of every element of multi-modal transportation systems, reveal the behavior information for both passenger and freight transportation,  and serve as a key instrument for managing transportation systems.

National Network for Critical Technology Assessment

The National Network for Critical Technology Assessment is building the intellectual foundations, data, and analytic tools to inform the U.S. National Technology Strategy, with the goal of advancing the security, prosperity, and social well-being of all citizens.

NSF Center for Deep Decarbonization of Global Industrial Supply Chains

The NSF Center for Deep Decarbonization of Global Industrial Supply Chains at CMU is identifying opportunities to accelerate industrial decarbonization, conscious of the possible impacts on communities.

Safety 21

The US Department of Transportation Safety 21 Center is led by Carnegie Mellon University and actively seeks to enable and accelerate this transformation to a safer, more efficient, and equitable transportation network.

SSyMBioTIC Biohybrid MURI

SSyMBioTIC leverages the expertise and talents of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern University, and The Georgia Institute of Technology to improve biohybrid actuators' strength, lifespan, and control. This collaboration builds a network of stakeholders across academic institutions and national research laboratories to enhance research outcomes, share fabrication systems, and create workforce pipelines through personnel exchanges.