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Former MRSEC Director Ellen Williams' work at BP Highlighted

In a published interview with Dr. Ellen Williams, former UMD-MRSEC Director and current Chief Scientist for BP, Physics Today highlights Williams' efforts to bring new energy to BP. The full article is available from Physics Today.

Pictured above: Dr. Ellen Williams, former MRSEC Director, with MRSEC staff at her Farewell Tribute in 2009.

MRSEC Activities in Partnership with C.H. Flowers High School's Project Lead the Way Program

As part of MRSEC’s seven-year partnership with Charles Flowers High School’s Project Lead the Way Program (PLTW), the MRSEC presented Reinforced Concrete Properties and Design materials science activities to students this week. Developed by MRSEC Associate Director D. Hammer, these inquiry-based activities are part of MRSEC’s pre-engineering program, which supports and extends PLTW curriculum. MRSEC has a highly successful service-based approach to education outreach and classroom implementation was led by MRSEC MSE researchers Dr. John, graduate students Paul Patrone and Romaine Isaacs, and Donna Hammer. These activities will be followed by visits to the University of Maryland Modern Engineering Materials Instructional Laboratory, where students will test their concrete beams, and MRSEC Shared Experimental Facilities (SEM and TEM). Students indicated that these activities are important to their education and increased their interest in an engineering career.

Operation Night Spy: Espionage in the Dark

MRSEC is co-sponsoring its 6th annual "Operation Night Spy: Espionage in the Dark" KidSpy^TM Workshop for ages 10-13 at the International Spy Museum on Thursday, February 9 from 7pm to 9pm. See more information about UMD-MRSEC's partnership programs with the International Spy Museum or watch the video of highlights from the 2011 Operation Night Spy. Registration details can be found at the Spy Museum website.

MRSEC Contributions to NOBCChE Highlighted

MRSEC contributions to the professional development of young scientists were highlighted in the first semi-annual newsletter by the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). MRSEC provided support for students to attend the annual NOBCChE conference in Houston, Texas (see pages 1 & 3 of the newsletter). In addition, NOBCChE students participated in MRSEC NanoDays, performing tabletop nanoscience demonstrations to approximately 100 high school students (see page 5 of the newsletter).

2011 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Poster Session

The 2011 REU Poster Session took place August 12, 2011 at 12:00pm in the Rotunda of the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building. See the abstracts.