MRS Members are highly encouraged to participate in the election of MRS officers and board members. Elections are typically held in the last quarter of each calendar year, and officers and board members begin their terms on January 1 of the following year.
The MRS Board of Directors is the highest governing body of the Materials Research Society, responsible for establishing policy, monitoring progress of the society toward its long-term goals and setting the strategic directions for the major activities of the society, including its meetings, publications, interactions with government agencies and cooperative efforts with other professional societies throughout the world.
The Board is composed of four elected officers (president, immediate past president, vice president and secretary), and between 12 to 21 Directors, established by Board resolution. A fifth officer (treasurer) is appointed by the Board for an initial one-year term, and may serve two additional years with Board approval.