Materials Research Society


The Materials Research Society is a non-profit, professional organization for materials researchers, scientists and engineers. Established in 1973, MRS is a member-driven organization of approximately 14,000 materials researchers from academia, industry and government.
Headquartered in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, MRS membership spans over 90 countries, with approximately 48% of MRS members residing outside the United States.
MRS members work in all areas of materials science and research, including physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering. MRS provides a collaborative environment for idea exchange across all disciplines of materials science through its meetings, publications and other programs designed to foster networking and cooperation.
The Society’s mission is to promote communication for the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research to improve the quality of life.

Governance

MRS is governed by a Board of Directors which is composed of the Society's officers and 12 to 21 Directors, the exact number determined by Board resolution. Directors are elected by the membership. Up to 25% of the Directors, however, may be appointed by the Board. MRS Officers include a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and immediate past president.

Meetings

MRS hosts two annual meetings for its members and the materials community to network, exchange technical information, network, and contribute to the advancement of research. These meetings are held in Boston, Massachusetts, every fall, and in Phoenix, Arizona, every spring. Each meeting incorporates more than 50 technical symposia as well as many “broader impact” sessions that include professional development, government policies and funding opportunities, student activities, award talks and special events. Each of these meetings is attended by approximately 5,000-6,000 materials scientists, researchers and engineers.
MRS also partners with other materials organizations to develop meetings such as the International Materials Research Congress, held annually in Cancun, Mexico.
In addition, MRS offers meeting expertise and logistical/operational infrastructure to other scientific communities in need of conference support via the Conference Services Program.

Publications

In partnership with Cambridge University Press, MRS publishes the following periodicals for the materials community:
Through the MRS Publishing program, MRS and Cambridge publish materials-related monographs, handbooks and textbooks, including:
MRS, through its Government Affairs Committee, advocates for sustainable funding of science, provides forums for public-policy discussions, offers itself as a scientific resource for policymakers, and delivers timely information on emerging public policy issues, federal programs and other activities of importance to its members and the materials community.
MRS advocacy efforts include:
The Materials Research Society Foundation was founded in 2012 to support the MRS mission and to ensure and enrich MRS’s education, outreach and peer-recognition programs. Foundation programs include:
  1. MRS Fellow
  2. Von Hippel Award
  3. David Turnbull Lectureship
  4. Innovation in Materials Characterization Award
  5. Mid-Career Research Award
  6. Materials Theory Award
  7. MRS Medal
  8. Outstanding Young Investigator Award
  9. Kavli Foundation Early Career Lectureship in Materials Science
  10. MRS Postdoctoral Awards
  11. MRS Graduate Student Awards
  12. Arthur Nowick Graduate Student Award
  13. MRS Impact Award
  14. MRS Nelson "Buck" Robinson Science and Technology Award for Renewable Energy
  15. MRS Woody White Service Award