What is our logo?
Our MRSEC logo shows the arrangement of atoms at the surface of a crystal. Crystals are made up of layers, or "planes" of atoms, perfectly stacked in an ordered pattern. Because this surface has been cut at a slight angle to the crystal planes, it appears "stepped" (we call this type of surface a vicinal surface). Modern scanned-probe microscopes, such as the STM, allow us to see the atoms at the surface of a crystal, producing images very similar to this one.

University of Maryland

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

Community Outreach

International Spy Museum Partnership

In 2005, MRSEC and the International Spy Museum established a partnership to increase middle school students’ interest in, and awareness of, scientific concepts and new technologies. Museum and MRSEC educators designed a program that focuses on the relationship between tradecraft and research.

KidSpy Workshop: Operation Night Spy

Annually, MRSEC and the International Spy Museum co-host a KidSpy Workshop titled: Operation Night Spy. Students from middle schools in the DC metro area, including MRSEC partner schools, attend the evening program to discover the science behind spying. Students participate in boot camp, spy activity stations, and materials analysis laboratories. These activities are developed by MRSEC researchers and volunteers, and give students a fun way to learn how materials science, physics, and chemistry can be applied in spying missions. Building on the success of these activities, MRSEC has participated in Spy Fest and developed the summer camp, Mission Possible: The Science Behind Spying.