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. MRL actively seeks unrestricted gift support from industry and national labs to leverage the NSF funding of the IRG and Seed projects and to collaboratively bring this cutting-edge research to the marketplace. The high profile of the MRL and the excellence of the research programs combined with the annual MROP event and other technology outreach efforts, have proved extremely successful.
