MIT grants tenure to Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli

MIT has granted tenure to Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE), recognizing his pioneering work at the intersection of computer science and materials engineering. His research has led to faster, smarter ways of designing materials—such as porous zeolites used in chemical separations and environmental cleanup—by combining physical chemistry with machine learning. 

“This is a fantastic and beyond well-deserved achievement for Prof. Gomez-Bombarelli, whose creative and ambitious work combines materials chemistry and physics methods with machine learning techniques to discover novel materials and predict their properties,” said Polina Anikeeva, head of DMSE. 

In his Learning Matters laboratory, Gómez-Bombarelli and his team use a blend of physics, chemistry, and artificial intelligence to speed up the traditionally slow, trial-and-error process of materials discovery.  

Originally from Spain, Gómez-Bombarelli earned degrees in chemistry from the University of Salamanca, then continued his research in Scotland and at Harvard University. Before joining the DMSE faculty in 2018, he worked at the Japanese tech company Kyulux, developing organic light-emitting diode technology. He was promoted to associate professor without tenure in 2023, the same year he was named a Sloan Research Fellow.  

In addition to research, Gómez-Bombarelli is a committed educator, Anikeeva said. He teaches physics-based atomistics simulation classes and has co-taught the popular first-year class 3.091 (Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry). He also spearheaded a class through the Schwarzman College of Computing’s Common Ground for Computing Education initiative. His course, Machine Learning for Molecular Engineering—which he co-created with Conor Coley from MIT Chemical Engineering and Ernest Fraenkel in Biological Engineering—equips students with the skills to apply machine learning to problems in biological, chemical, and materials engineering. The class earned the trio the inaugural Common Ground Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2023. 

Gómez-Bombarelli has also served the DMSE community through his leadership on the Recruitment and Placement Committee and his contributions to multiple faculty search efforts.  

“Rafa is a gifted and generous colleague—we are so honored and proud to have him in our community,” Anikeeva said.