BRIGHT Institute | Critical Materials Symposium | 2026 Critical Materials Symposium

2026 Critical Materials Symposium

Scaling the Future: Materials, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain Security for Next Generation Energy and  Electronics

September 10-11, 2026

Registration
Agenda
Speakers
Poster Session
Call for Sponsors

The global race to scale advanced energy and computing technologies is increasingly constrained not by scientific discovery alone, but by materials availability, manufacturing capacity, workforce development, and resilient supply chains. From lithium and critical minerals for batteries, to ultrapure silicon and rare earth elements for microelectronics, to advanced materials that enable next-generation energy systems, the challenge is the same:

Can we reliably design, source, and manufacture complex material systems at scale—securely, sustainably, and domestically?

The BRIGHT Institute Symposium 2026 brings together leaders from academia, national laboratories, industry, government, and education to address this urgent question. Over two days, the symposium will explore how advances in materials science, manufacturing, data-driven innovation, and workforce development can strengthen domestic capabilities and accelerate the transition from discovery to deployment.

Rather than focusing on any single technology sector, the symposium highlights the shared challenges and opportunities that shape the future of advanced manufacturing, energy security, and semiconductor competitiveness. Discussions will examine how resilient supply chains, sustainable practices, emerging technologies, and a prepared workforce can support long-term innovation and economic growth.

Highlights of cross-cutting themes: 

  • Supply chain resilience & localization  
  • Sustainability & circular economy  
  • Scale-up and manufacturability  
  • Data + AI in materials and manufacturing  
  • Energy and semiconductor security

Agenda

    Theme: Where the barriers really are 

    Focus: vulnerabilities + geopolitics + domestic capacity 

    • Session 1: Critical Materials & Global Supply Risks. Session invited talks areas:
      • Lithium, nickel, graphite vs semiconductor materials (Si, GaN, rare earths)  
      • Fusion-relevant materials (Li-6, tritium breeding materials)  
      • Domestic vs global sourcing strategies  
      • Recycling and circular economy  
    • Session 2: Advanced Materials for Energy storage, Semiconductors, and Fusion  
      •  Focus: science → manufacturability gap 
        • Battery materials (solid-state electrolytes, alternative ions like Na, LFP, and bio-battery technologies) 
        • Semiconductor materials (wide bandgap, 2D materials) 
        • Fusion materials (radiation-resistant alloys, ceramics, tritium barriers) 
        • Interfaces and non-equilibrium transport 
    • Session 3: Processing, Purification, and Manufacturing (Lab → Pilot → Commercialization)  
      • Focus: lab-to-pilot-to-industry transition 
        •  Purification (ultrapure silica → silicon, lithium refining)  
        • Thin films, nanomaterials, and defect control  
        • Yield, reproducibility, and cost  
        • Modular manufacturing systems 
    • Session 4: Workforce, Infrastructure, and Regional Ecosystems – lead speaker and panel  (Local, state, and Federal) 
      • Focus – 
        • Talent pipeline gaps (technicians → PhDs)  
        • Regional ecosystems (North Carolina angle)  
        • National lab–industry–startup collaboration models 

    Theme: From components to System Integration 

    • Session 5: Energy storage systems for grid resilience and defense applications 
      • Grid storage vs mobility vs defense applications  
      • Safety, lifetime, and recycling 
      • Packaging, thermal management 
      • Power electronics (SiC, GaN) for electrification  
    • Session 6: Data centers, and the Energy-Computing Nexus  
      • Focus – Energy demand of AI/data centers  
    • Session 7: Fusion Energy — Manufacturing Reality –  
      • Fusion Isn’t Just Physics — It’s a Supply Chain Problem” 
        • Tritium breeding & lithium supply  
        • Materials under extreme environments  
        • Fuel cycle and regulatory challenges  
        • Manufacturing challenges for reactors 
    • Session 8: Sensors, Monitoring, and Smart Manufacturing 
      • Real-time monitoring of manufacturing processes  
      • Environmental and toxic gas sensing  
      • AI-driven process control  
      • Digital twins for factories and reactors 
    • Session 9: Policy, Funding, and Commercialization Pathways 
      • DOE, NSF, DOD priorities  
      • Startup ecosystem and venture gaps  
      • Public-private partnerships  
      • Tech transfer challenges 
    • Poster showcase
    • Vendor tables 
    • Technology showcase tables
    • Career fair tables