The comparable energy scales of spin-orbit coupling and Coulomb correlations and the multi-pronged tunability by chemistry, electric field and strain, opens up an entirely new and rich parameter regime in layered heavy transition metal dichalcogenides. Complementary strengths to probe phenomena both in real space-with scanning tunneling spectroscopy and in momentum space with angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and a proven record of interrogating topological states in creative ways, gives the proposal strategic advantage. By following both materials- and computation- inspired routes, accelerated discovery of materials with desired optimized functionalities by an iterative feedback loop is enabled.