University of Connecticut |
About UsThe mandate of the Institute of Materials Science (IMS), established in 1965 by the Connecticut General Assembly, is to maintain an outstanding advanced materials research center, provide superior graduate research education in the interdisciplinary fields of materials science and engineering at the University of Connecticut, and provide materials-related technical outreach to Connecticut's industries. The Institute primarily operates within an ~80,000 sq. ft. building that was expanded in 2001 with 15,000 sq. ft. of additional space. The Institute operates and maintains extensive state-of-the-art instrumentation including a wide range of laboratories described in detail in the facilities section. IMS operates several important centers and dedicated laboratories reporting to the Institute. Extensive support facilities include an electronics shop, an instrument and machine shop and secretarial services. The Materials Science Buildings also houses a reading room containing current issues of approximately sixty technical journals and various reference books, staff and student offices as well as conference and seminar rooms. Copying as well as purchasing services are operated by IMS. and. The University's central computer services are located in a contiguous building. Over 100 faculty members from twenty different departments including the UConn Health Center are affiliated with IMS, contributing to the Institute's interdisciplinary research programs. Thirty of the faculty from various departments are housed within the IMS buildings. The primary disciplines represented are chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, polymer science, pharmacy, molecular and cell biology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, biomaterials, and biosciences. Click here for our complete faculty listing. IMS supports over 100 graduate students in three primary fields of study, Materials Science and Engineering, Polymer Science and Materials Science. In addition, graduate students in affiliated departments use IMS facilities to perform materials-related research. Many undergraduate students operate in the IMS laboratories. The Institute also houses the IMS Associates Program, which assists Connecticut industries in their research and development efforts. The Associates Program provides many benefits for member companies, including short courses or other special training, access to facilities and faculty at UConn, and other resources that can assist in materials-related problem solving for industry. Research funding for IMS in FY04 was $7.8M, 31% from state, 50% from federal and 19% from industrial sources. The funding comes from a wide range of interdisciplinary research projects details of which can be found in the FY04 annual report. |