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Mission

Advancing Materials Research for a Better Future

Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) support multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. MRSECs require outstanding research quality, intellectual and disciplinary breadth, flexibility in responding to new research opportunities, support for research infrastructure, and the integration of research and education. MRSECs assess fundamental materials research topics of intellectual and technological importance, contribute to national priorities by fostering active collaboration between academia and other sectors, and enable researchers to address problems of a scope and complexity requiring the advantages of scale and interdisciplinarity provided by a campus-based research center.

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Explore the World of Materials Research

The MRSEC program is dedicated to advancing materials research through innovative programs and collaborations. Join us in shaping the future of science and technology.

Research

MRSECs lead cutting-edge research in materials science, pushing the boundaries of innovation. Our interdisciplinary teams explore new materials and phenomena to address global challenges in technology, energy, and sustainability.
Education

Our education initiatives foster the next generation of scientists and engineers. Through hands-on learning, outreach programs, and academic partnerships, we empower students at all levels to excel in materials science and related fields.
Industry

We bridge the gap between academia and industry by collaborating with leading companies to translate our research into real-world applications. Our industry partnerships drive innovation and contribute to economic growth through the development of new materials and technologies.
Collaboration

MRSECs foster collaboration between academia and industry, enabling interdisciplinary teams to address complex materials challenges. They strengthen knowledge transfer, build partnerships across institutions and sectors, and encourage international cooperation to advance materials research and education.

News

Zhecun Guan, a chemical and nano engineering Ph.D. student at UC San Diego and co-first author on the study, applies a strip of adhesive gel onto a plant leaf. Image courtesy of UCSD.

Apr 28, 2026

University of California - San Diego

Stick-on Gel Offers New Way to Treat and Monitor Plants

A stick-on gel for plants could one day offer a simple, safe and targeted way to treat diseases and pests. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an adhesive gel that can be loaded with substances, such as small molecule drugs or nanoparticles, and applied directly onto a plant to deliver those materials into its tissues. In tests, a gel loaded with antibiotics cleared a bacterial infection in a plant within about 48 hours.

Mar 10, 2026

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Gillian-Daniel Receives Shakhashiri Award for Work Leading MRSEC Education and Outreach Efforts

Anne Lynn Gillian-Daniel recently received a 2026 Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award. Gillian-Daniel directs the Wisconsin MRSEC’s Integrated Education and Outreach group.

UTK-MRSEC’s PI Elected as a New SHUG Executive Committee Member

Jan 12, 2026

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

UTK-MRSEC’s PI Elected as a New SHUG Executive Committee Member

Yishu Wang has been elected as one of three new general members to the SNS-HFIR User Group (SHUG) Executive Committee (EC) starting January 1, 2026. SHUG consists of all persons interested in using the neutron scattering facilities at Oak Ridge. It provides input to the management on user concerns, provides a forum for keeping the entire community informed of issues and progress at these facilities, and serves as an advocacy group for neutron scattering science at these facilities.

Left: Schematic of an LSCO-based ion-gel electrochemical transistor studied in this work. Right: Switching time vs. LSCO thickness. The three times shown are to start and end the transformation, and to reach a high ON/OFF ratio. Image credit: American Chemical Society. Liang et al., ACS Nano 19, 27782 (2025)

Oct 29, 2025

UMN Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

Pushing the Limits of Ionic Control of Materials: University of Minnesota’s MRSEC Makes Breakthroughs in Electrolyte Gating

By MRSEC Web Team

Electrolyte gating uses ions to reversibly modify La0.5Sr0.5CoO3−δ, changing oxygen content and electrical, magnetic, and optical properties at 1–2 V. The team achieved ~100-cycle endurance with humidity control and 4 nm films switching in ~0.7 s. Prospects include tunable optics/photonics; future work targets diffusion and surface chemistry; collaborations.

Jan 30, 2023

Video Showcases the Value and Benefit of the MRSEC Program

Universities that have earned the Materials Research Science & Engineering Centers (MRSEC) grant award are engaged in collaborative interdisciplinary research at the very forefront of the field. Exciting opportunities exist for graduate students, undergraduates, postdoctor scholars, and faculty. This short video summarizes important features of the MRSEC program at all Centers.

From Research Highlights

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Pioneering Research and Education in Materials Science and Engineering

Advancing Materials Research for a Better Future

Explore the World of Materials Research

Research

Education

Industry

Collaboration

News

Stick-on Gel Offers New Way to Treat and Monitor Plants

Gillian-Daniel Receives Shakhashiri Award for Work Leading MRSEC Education and Outreach Efforts

UTK-MRSEC’s PI Elected as a New SHUG Executive Committee Member

Pushing the Limits of Ionic Control of Materials: University of Minnesota’s MRSEC Makes Breakthroughs in Electrolyte Gating

Video Showcases the Value and Benefit of the MRSEC Program

Explore our latest research that's shaping the future of DMR

Squeaking at Soft-Rigid Frictional Interfaces

Architected Liquid Crystal Elastomer Lattices with Programmable Energy Absorption

Interpretable ML for Crystal Energy Landscapes Using Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks

AI Enabled Quantum Chemical Accuracy for Helium-Benzene Interactions

Machine Learning for Materials Discovery: Hackathon