The Northwestern University MRSEC supports innovative research and education emphasizing fundamental materials science and engineering issues that have potential benefits to society. This research effort shares the theme of "Multifunctional Nanoscale Material Structures," that involve materials synthesis, processing, characterization, theory and modeling. In addition to educating a diverse group of graduate students, the Northwestern MRSEC offers programs that prepare coming generations to better understand the world around them. High school students are introduced to inquiry-based materials science through the Center-developed Materials World Modules program. This MRSEC educates several dozen undergraduates and high school teachers annually in summer research programs. The Northwestern MRSEC has collaborative international research programs and has established the first program between a MRSEC and an internationally renowned art museum; via the Art Institute of Chicago-Northwestern University Program in Conservation Science, the MRSEC contributes to an understanding of the materials science aspects of our cultural heritage
The MRSEC consists of the following Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs): IRG #1 Synergistic Linear and Nonlinear Phenomena in Multifunctional Oxide Ceramic Systems - that studies and exploits the unique attributes of oxide materials that result simultaneously in two or more functionalities (electronic, photonic, and magnetic). IRG #2 Novel Processing Routes to Nanostructured Polymer Blends and Nanocomposites - that studies and exploits the roles of non-equilibrium mechanical forces and equilibrium thermodynamics on the nanoscale structure and macroscale properties of polymer blends and composites resulting from gradient copolymerization, thermoreversible gelcasting, and solid-state shear pulverization. IRG #3 Plasmonics and Molecular Based Electronics: Fundamentals and New Tools - that studies nanoparticles that act as plasmonic switches and develops nanoscale optical characterization tools for investigating conductor-molecule-conductor junctions that lie at the heart of molecule based electronics
