Materials Research Support at the National Science Foundation Tuesday, November 29 | 7:00 p.m. | Room 203, Hynes Convention Center Thomas A. Weber, Director National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Robert Sinclair Stanford University Topic: An overview of NSF programs supporting materials research and education, and a review of current funding opportunities, including prefacing remarks from a recent National Academies committee on the role of mid-size facilities in materials research. As chairman of the National Academies Committee on Smaller Facilities, Robert Sinclair will present a summary of the committee's findings and recommendations about research facilities that fall between "small" and "large" facilities-mid-size facilities. A draft of the final report with more information and recommendations is available electronically at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11336.html . Tom Weber will present an NSF perspective on needs and opportunities in materials research and education. The National Science Foundation invests approximately $400 million annually in this field, supporting people, ideas, and tools primarily through awards to the nation's colleges and universities. A major focus for this activity is NSF's Division of Materials Research (DMR), but there is also substantial support for materials and materials-related research and education from other areas of NSF. Specific new opportunities and directions will be described. Following this presentation, there will be a question-and-answer period about NSF programs, proposal submission and evaluation, and the opportunity to discuss ideas informally with program directors. For additional information, visit the DMR Web page at: http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DMR

Materials Research Support at the Department of Energy Thursday, December 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Room 202, Hynes Convention Center Harriet Kung, Director Materials Sciences and Engineering Division Topic: Materials Research in the Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences The Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program in the Department of Energy's Office of Science supports more than $1 billion annually for fundamental research in materials sciences, chemistry, geosciences, and biosciences, as well as for the construction and operation of nearly two dozen major scientific user facilities, including the nation's large synchrotron radiation-light sources and neutron-scattering facilities. Dr. Harriet Kung, Director of Materials Sciences and Engineering Division at BES, will give an overview of the fundamental materials research activities at DOE. She will also discuss strategic planning activities, articulating the fundamental science challenges that are common to many of the research disciplines supported by BES. Details of the challenges associated with energy-related research, including basic research needs for a hydrogen economy and solar energy utilization, will also be discussed.

Materials Research Support at the Department of Defense Thursday, December 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Room 203, Hynes Convention Center Ozden O. Ochoa, AFOSR/NA IPA/Director Aerospace and Materials Sciences Starnes E. Walker, Chief Scientist Office of Naval Research John T. Prater, Program Manager Materials Science Division Army Research Office Topic: Aerospace Materials-Quest for Innovation The seminar will present an overview of basic materials-driven research needs, challenges, and highlights within the Aerospace and Materials Sciences Directorate. The fundamental portfolio and integrated initiatives endeavor to discover physics and engineering principles for material systems capable of operating in extreme temperature, pressure, and acoustic environments. The specific goals are to enable and enhance higher performance aerospace systems, high-performance double air breathing, and space propulsion; to improve materials, nondestructive inspection, and evaluation; and to exploit multifunctional material, multiscale materials for aerodynamic control, and smart aerospace systems. For additional information, contact Dr. Ochoa at ozden.ochoa@afosr.af.mil . Topic: Naval Materials Research The Office of Naval Research's (ONR) materials research program is strategically focused to provide the Navy and Marine Corps with technology-based capability options for the future. The overall ONR materials investment portfolio is structured into a vertically integrated S&T structure that provides seamless transition from basic research (6.1) to applied research (6.2) to applied technology transition (6.3). While the investment portfolio encompasses three broad areas of materials research-structural materials, functional materials, and maintenance-reduction technologies-the projects under each of these areas are aligned with future naval technology needs. Included among the naval-relevant S&T investments are high-strength steels, lightweight titanium alloys, cellular materials for blast mitigation and thermal management, welding technologies, advanced structural composites, corrosion control, ultra-reliable materials, acoustic transduction materials, and advanced turbine-engine technologies. Furthermore, ONR continually seeks out new opportunities in materials research with the potential to provide new capabilities to the warfighter, both within and beyond current S&T investment areas. Topic: U.S. Army Research Office Materials Science This presentation will provide an overview of basic research in advanced materials and U.S. Army transformation. The specific research focus areas within the U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) Materials Science Division, and the various types of basic research awards available through ARO, will be examined.  Additionally, common misunderstandings of perspective researchers will be identified and discussed.

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