The Materials Research Facilities Network offers the scientific community access to a vast array of research equipment and services to enhance their studies of the synthesis, characterization and theory of materials through its national network of participating university facilities. This website is designed to serve a number of constituencies.
For the Research Community at Large
MRFN.org is intended to serve as an avenue for researchers at any insitution to
locate specialized equipment they need to solve materials analysis problems, with a particular eye toward serving undergraduate- and minority-serving insitutions. A range of
training and educational modules are archived on MRFN.org to assist the next generation of researchers in learning about the cutting edge techniques available to materials scientists today.
In some cases, limited financial support is available to supplement both the users fees as well as travel costs at all network partners with preference given to undergraduate and minority institutions. Users are invited to
submit short proposals requesting access to the state-of-the-art instruments, techniques, and highly skilled staff available through the network.
For Staff at Member Centers
Staff and researchers working in the Shared Experimental Facilities of MRFN member institutions - primarily NSF MRSEC and PREM partners - can
log in to MRFN.org, and have instant access to their colleagues and counterparts at other centers. By sharing best practices and developing collaborations and partnerships, we increase the efficiency and utilization of the nation's investment in Materials research, which includes not only high-profile instrumentation and facilities, but also the significant expertise which operates, maintains, and improves that infrastructure.
Forums, a listserv, and a
database of experts in specific areas of materials instrumentation are available, so members can locate and contact colleagues with ease.
Proceedings of Workshops archive recent networking events.
For Member Centers
MRFN.org provides a venue to announce and highlight new instrument acquisitions, facility augmentations, and related information for the use of the Materials Science community. A central repository of Shared Experimental Facility information will allow individual members to compare facility profiles, maintain complementary suites of instrumentation, and maximize the unique utilities that each Center provides. Information on Shared Experimental Facilities required for the main MRSEC website is maintained here, keeping the process streamlined for ensuring each center's information is up-to-date.
MRFN.org is supported by the MRSEC Program of the National Science Foundation. Image in the header is courtesy of CRISP MRSEC.