Industry outreach
MRSEC industrial outreach programs vary considerably from one center to another. Center Directors, staff and faculty are generally available to discuss potential collaborations, interactions and partnerships. Involvement in MRSEC activities by industrial scientists and engineers benefits those organizations in many ways. Besides access to the latest scientific discoveries and innovations in the Universities, research programs can often be jointly designed to address issues of mutual interest. Getting to know the students through collaborative interactions prior to being available on the job market also gives the company a considerable edge in hiring the best talent. Indeed, the majority of MRSEC trained students and postdocs are hired by industrial R&D or manufacturing organizations. Since the MRSECs attract faculty that are interested in interdisciplinary and (collaborative research, it is easy to interact with an entire community of researchers through the MRSEC and to build external relationships with faculty inclined to forming partnerships. Many individual MRSEC faculty members are available for consulting and other arrangements as well.
Further details about programs and contact information can be obtained on the individual MRSEC websites.
Industrial Partnerships
The MRSECs are actively engaged with industry to stimulate and facilitate knowledge transfer and strengthen links between University based research and its applications. Many different programs have been locally developed to address specific needs and opportunities. Individual activities may include:
The annual 3-day program is held in late January to showcase the materials research capabilities of UCSB. The MROP has evolved from a polymer-focused program to a broad materials-themed event over the past 6 years, and features a combination of "latest and greatest" research presentations by UCSB senior students, post-docs, and faculty as well as featured guest speakers from Industry and National Laboratories.