Computer simulations unveil phase transitions in supercapacitors materials

In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a research team led by CECAM deputy director at EPFL and MARVEL member Sara Bonella, has shown that the electrolyte behavior in proximity of the electrode may undergo complex phase transitions that drastically differ from the bulk liquid behavior– a key step to predict the performance of supercapacitors. The key innovation of the study was to combine a “classical” simulation and Mass Zero molecular dynamics (MaZe), that allows to study larger and more realistic physical systems. 

New model makes machine learning potentials more accurate and more accessible

A study in Nature Communications by Michele Ceriotti’s group at EPFL has introduced a new dataset and model that greatly improve the efficiency of machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) and their applicability for different chemical elements and material classes.  The first key innovation of the study is a brand-new dataset called Massive Atomistic Diversity (MAD), covering both organic and inorganic materials and ranging from 3D bulk structures to nanoclusters and molecules. The other  element is the network architecture itself, that unlike other models has few a priori assumptions and learns chemical symmetries during training.

Nicola Marzari and Ben Feringa win 2025 Feynman Prizes

The MARVEL director received the annual recognition by Foresight Institute for his theoretical contribution to nanotechnology, in particular "for developing the theoretical and computational infrastructure that underpins modern atomically precise materials discovery”. Established in 1993, the Feynman Prizes recognize exceptional accomplishments in nanotechnology. It is awarded for excellence in theory and experiment to the researchers whose recent work has most advanced the achievement of Feynman’s goal for nanotechnology: molecular manufacturing, defined as the construction of atomically-precise products through the use of molecular machine systems. The other winner, for Experiment, is the 2016 Nobel laureate Ben L. Feringa. 

Scientist in Marzari’s lab at EPFL receives the Newton International Fellowship and a major Chinese governmental award

 Changpeng Lin is among the recipients of the 2025 Royal Society Newton International Fellowship, that will allow him to research superconducting and electron fluid phases in strongly correlated materials. The research will work on the SNSF Synergia project "Hydronics" that involved several MARVEL members. On 5 December, Lin will also receive the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad. 

Open rank faculty position in materials science and mechanical engineering at Harvard University

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has recently announced an exciting open rank faculty opportunity in the field of design and discovery of advanced materials for energy technologies. Candidates who integrate experimental, computational, and data-driven approaches are particularly encouraged. Please see details in the link below and spread the word to anyone who may be interested. Application review will start on January 5.

2-week MARVEL-ICTP College in computational materials science

This 2-week MARVEL-ICTP College in computational materials science will take place on June 1-12, 2026 at ICTP in Trieste. The event is dedicated to MARVEL PhD students and early postdocs, as well as students all around the world, with support also for those coming from emerging economies. This will be our core educational event, bringing ~200 researchers to work and live together for 2 weeks.

MARVEL final event at EPFL

On July 9-10, 2026, MARVEL final event at EPFL will close 12 years of research and activities on computational materials science. This event will be dedicated to the accomplishments of MARVEL and to the relevance of these to the industrial and technological ecosystem, inviting alumni and key players worldwide in academia and industry, SNSF review panel, scientific and industrial advisory boards, EPFL leadership, and scientific journalists.