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techweb The Georgia Institute of Technology is the nation's largest technological institute and engineering school and has uncommon breadth in terms of its curriculum and areas of research. Over 160 faculty members have been identified as major contributors to materials-related research on campus. Over 70 undergraduate and 80 graduate courses are regularly offered in materials-related topics across campus, along with materials-related seminars. Participating instructional units include the School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering (ME), the School of Aerospace Engineering (AE), the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), the School of Biomedical Engineering (BME), and the School of Polymer, Textile and Fiber Engineering (PTFE) within the College of Engineering, and the Schools of Physics and Chemistry and Biochemistry within the College of Sciences. There are also interactions with the College of Computing and Architecture, as well as the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).

In recognition of the highly multidisciplinary nature of materials research and development, the Institute formed the Materials Council in 1994 to address cooperative education and research program development across departmental and College lines. With representation from various Schools within the Colleges of Engineering, Sciences, and Computing, the Council serves as a forum to test and develop new ideas for collaborative multidisciplinary teaming. For example, the Council worked with the School of Materials Science and Engineering and several other units within the College of Engineering to introduce a set of entry level doctoral courses related to statistical and computational methods in materials science, microstructure characterization, and process/structure/property relations for materials. These courses provide necessary perspectives and introduce tools from various disciplines that facilitate new advances in material design. The Council provided initial support for the development of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), with continued funding by the National Science Foundation. SURF offers summer support for highly qualified undergraduates from across the U.S. to come to Tech and team with faculty on state-of-the-art materials research projects. The Council has also been instrumental in coordinating Institute-wide responses to materials education and research initiatives, providing a vehicle for critical evaluation and review of competing ideas at the pre-proposal stage. In the emerging areas of nanomaterials and nanotechnology, the Materials Council served as a co-sponsor for Georgia Tech's Certificate Program on Nanoscience & Technology, and helped to formulate the NaST Fellows program that supports graduate level research.

One of the major functions of the Materials Council is annual sponsorship of the Institute Materials Seminar Series, which has attracted a large number of highly distinguished lecturers to campus over the past decade.

David L. McDowell
Chair, Georgia Tech Materials Council