Education Programs

The University of Chicago Materials Research Center offers a unique opportunity for qualified undergraduates to experience research at the forefront of materials science through our Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program. During the ten week program, students conduct a well-defined research project under faculty sponsorship, attend lectures by faculty on their research, go on field trips to nearby national laboratories and participate in social opportunities. A stipend, summer housing, and a modest travel allowance are provided by the program.

Our Center addresses fundamental scientific problems of technological significance which require an approach that transcends traditional disciplines. Rather than organizing around specific types of materials, we delineate our interdisciplinary research groups by the conceptual framework they address. This enables us to explore synergistic connections and to exploit fundamental principles driving the behavior of many materials.

Please click on the links below to learn more about the research under our current organization.

IRG 1: Fluid Flows–Singularities and Microscales

IRG 2: Hierarchically Assembled Molecular and Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials

IRG 3: Jamming, Slow Relaxation and Rigidity Onset in Materials Far from Equilibrium

IRG 4: Biointerfacial Science

Organized out-of-school-time activities have been shown to be particularly effective in supporting inner-city youth. Positive experiences during the K-12 years are also critical to developing a lasting enthusiasm about science. The Chicago MRSEC organizes weekly after-school science clubs to bring science experiences to our neighborhood K-12 community. Led by our post-docs and graduate students, these voluntary clubs explore key concepts critical to future explorations of materials and materials processing and enable small-group mentoring of students who are highly interested in science.

Where does science turn into art? Where does art enter science? What untapped potential for artistic expression is lurking in the output of cutting edge science? What new dimensions are opened up for science if the scientific approach includes vocabulary drawn from music or the visual arts?

To provoke discussion and to explore a dialogue between the arts and sciences, the Chicago Materials Research Center initiated the S³ Project: Sounds and Sights of Science, a video/animation and musical composition/sound collage contest. The goal is to take a fresh look at the supposed divide between science and art, to map out creative connections between the two, and to explore shared terrain boldly.

To this end, the S³ Project focuses on areas of scientific inquiry and artistic expression that rarely have been brought together, yet whose final “products” are a significant part of daily life: we seek connections between materials research on one side, and music and video/animation on the other.

For past winning entries, please see the S3 Project website.