News

A few years ago, Sammy Tin, a professor of materials engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology reached out to Northwestern University with a specific request. Tin was studying advanced polycrystalline nickel-base superalloys and needed access to Northwestern University's state-of-the-art equipment at its Center for Atom-Probe Tomography. Northwestern University is part of NSF's Materials Research Facilities Network (MRFN) -- a nationwide partnership designed to enhance access to the latest equipment and expertise in the materials research and engineering field. As part of his research, Tin collaborated with researchers in China as well as others in the U.S., and the team published their findings last year.

Recently researchers met to inform NSF research centers about this effort and large-scale vision for broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields, and invite and encourage them to get involved.

NSF invites eligible organizations to submit research proposals that inform, create, implement, and evaluate models of intervention that will advance the knowledge base for establishing and retaining underrepresented minorities in STEM fields with particular attention to life science and the biosciences. 

Penn Researchers establish a universal signature that proves to be fundamental in understanding how glassy materials fail.

The Fashion Institute of Technology-Columbia University MRSEC collaboration AlgiKnit, run by Professor Theanne Schiros and Professor Asta Skocir (knitwear design), recently received  first-place in the Sustainable Planet category of the National Geographic CHASING GENIUS challenge.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of DMR’s newest MRSECs. This NSF-funded $15.5 million research center is designed to bring eight departments together to study innovative materials.

Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to undertake materials research of scope and complexity that would not be feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects.

The National Science Foundation has awarded funding to eight Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) for transdisciplinary work that covers all areas of materials science and helps foster collaborations on a national and international level. These six-year awards represent a significant new investment in material science exceeding $145M.

Some cotton candy machines can do more than simply satisfy a sweet tooth. Researchers at Harvard and Vanderbilt University have discovered a way for the machines to spin new fibers that could potentially contribute to life-saving technologies such as regrowing human tissue or inventing lighter bullet proof vests. Learn more about this revolutionary NSF-funded research.   

At the recent American Physics Society meeting, MRSEC center directors and other representatives discussed new and improved opportunities in the field. The March meeting, which was held in New Orleans, brought together thousands of experienced and aspiring scientists looking to learn about the latest scientific research from industry and universities. Meeting highlights included a plenary on science policy in the 21st century, discussions on polymer opportunities across NSF, and poster sessions highlighting ongoing research.