Vision

The UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UCSD MRSEC) is a major research center focused on research and education in materials science.  One of 20 MRSECs funded by the National Science Foundation, the UCSD MRSEC encompasses two major themes in materials science and engineering research, organized into Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs).  IRG1: Predictive Assembly involves computational prediction and experimental control of the self-assembly of mesomaterials.  IRG2: Stimuli-Responsive Living Polymeric Materials uses the tools of synthetic biology to build soft, responsive materials.  Both themes are of a scope and complexity that are not feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects, requiring the combined efforts of faculty and trainees from physical sciences, biological sciences, computational sciences, and engineering. The UC San Diego MRSEC team is composed of more than 50 faculty, graduate students and post-docs, and more than 40 affiliated graduate and undergraduate students from across these disciplines. It also engages partners from industry, national laboratories, and the international research community. These interactions are enabled by immersive educational and training experiences, and they harness a strategic partnership with San Diego’s Fleet Science Center for community education and outreach to benefit a diverse and broad cross-section of society.