Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

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The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at Harvard University supports an interdisciplinary research program that includes faculty participants from the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Physics, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and the Medical School. The MRSEC research is organized into four interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). IRG1, Multiscale Mechanics of Films and Interfaces, investigates the mechanical properties of thin films at scales intermediate between atomistic and continuum. IRG2, Engineering Materials and Techniques for Biological Studies at Cellular Scales, focuses on understanding the mechanical properties of the cell and its structural components. IRG3, Interface-Mediated Assembly of Soft Materials, explores innovative ways to make self-assembly of soft materials by using interfaces as template for growth. The Center also supports seed research projects in potentially high-risk areas. The Center's research benefits from extensive shared experimental facilities that provide research support and training of students. The MRSEC operates a broad education and outreach research program that includes summer research experiences for undergraduates and teachers, activities for K-12 students, and a new program to enhance the participation of members of underrepresented groups in science and engineering at the graduate and postgraduate level. The Center also has research collaborations with industrial and national laboratories, and runs research workshops that include participants from industry and teaching colleges in the New England area.Participants in the Center currently include 30 senior investigators, 7 postdoctoral associates, 14 graduate students, 2 undergraduate students and 6 support personnel. Professor David Weitz directs the MRSEC.