Resources

Resources

• A guide to science advocacy

  October 2018
  October MRS Bulletin article by Kevin Whittlesey, Acting Chair, MRS Advocacy Education & Outreach Subcommittee.

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• Overview of Research Opportunities—Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences
  April 2018
  This presentation by Linda Horton provides an overview of the fundamental materials research activities, including national user facilities for materials sciences research, that are supported by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Research opportunities identified by recent workshops, including quantum materials and ultrafast science are included. The application process and opportunities for white papers are overviewed, as are the online resources for principal investigators.
  
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• Basic Research Funding Opportunities at the Department of Defense
  April 2018
  This presentation by Bindu Nair provides an overview of basic funding opportunities at the Department of Defense. New materials are a critical enabler of future defense capabilities and rely on a robust knowledge base provided by basic research. The Basic Research Office in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) oversees a $2 billion basic research portfolio, which spans multiple science and engineering disciplines including materials science.
  
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• OSTP Nominaton Congratulatory Letter
  August 2018
  Congratulatory letter to Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier on his nomination to serve as the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). 
  
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• Advanced Materials for Our Energy Future

  This document was developed as a thorough, but accessible, reference tool for policy makers, media professionals, educators, and any individual interested in learning more about the materials technologies that form the basis of energy creation, conservation, and delivery.

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• Recommendations for Funding Levels for the Defense Science and Technology (S&T) Program

  March 2018
  Letter from Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR) to Congressional Subcommittee on Defense with recommendations for funding levels and select program elements (PEs) that support innovations that ensure U.S. military technical superiority now and in the future.

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• 2018 National Defense Strategy

  February 2018
  Letter from Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR) to Congressional Subcommittee on Defense acknowledging it is absolutely critical that Congress supports Dept. of Defense S&T programs and basic research that provide the resources to maintain our technical superiority.

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• National Science and Technology Council
  April 2016
  Advanced Manufacturing: A Snapshot of Priority Technology Areas Across the Federal
  Government
  
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• 2016 MRS Spring Meeting Current Topics in Materials Science & Policy
  March 2016
  Overview of Federal Advanced Manufacturing Initiatives by Mr. John Vickers, Principal Technologist, NASA
  
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• Responding to the U.S. Research Community’s Liquid Helium Crisis…An Action Plan to Preserve U.S. Innovation

  October 2016
  Helium Study report prepared by ACS, APS and MRS

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• Securing Our Competitiveness

  September 2012
  Sustained investment in scientific research and education is critical for energy solutions of the future. Recent reports by MRS, the American Physical Society and Department of Energy identify a complex global supply chain for Energy Critical Elements that could threaten America's competitiveness in the rapidly-growing technology marketplace. Near-term investment in research and education is crucial to long-term sustainability. 

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• Return on Investment–Economic Growth, Research Materials Innovation
  August 2012
  While it may be difficult to assign a universal “return on investment” for broad scientific research, and specifically for materials research, there is a direct correlation between science, materials and the economy. Specifically, investment in scientific research is the starting point for economic development. Modern computing, manufacturing systems and societal infrastructures have all had a dramatic impact on today’s economy and all are built on scientific advancements and innovation.
  
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• Task Force on American Innovation–Scientific Research
  August 2012
  Research in science and engineering is the backbone of America’s innovation economy. The federal investment in basic research in the physical sciences and engineering has strengthened national security, improved health care, advanced alternative energy and efficiency technologies, made possible the education of generations of scientists and engineers, and fueled economic growth and American jobs.
  
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• Deconstructing the iPad

  April 2012
  In 2012, MRS co-sponsored the Task Force on American Innovation event “Deconstructing the iPad: How Federally Supported Research Leads to Game-Changing Innovation.” This video recording of the event documents how investment in basic science let to tablet technology. In addition to MRS, other sponsors of this event were American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Computing Research Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA and Texas Instruments.

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• Energy Critical Elements Study Prepared by APS and MRS
  2011
  
  "Energy Critical Elements:  Securing Materials For Emerging Technologies" - A report by the APS Panel on Public Affairs and the Materials Research Society.
  
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• Automotive Applications of Basic Research

  September 2010
  Federally-funded research laid the foundation for many technological advances contained in the modern car.

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• Is Kevlar Enough?
  Sustained federal investment in scientific research is critical for even stronger, lighter materials.
  
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• Synchrotron and Neutron Facilities

  To fully address emerging challenges, scientists must study real materials—learning the intricate details of how they function in order to design life-saving medicines and cancer treatments, radically advanced batteries and engines and novel materials and composites, to name only a few applications. This requires synchrotron and neutron sources. These facilities allow scientists to investigate materials at the atomic scale, thus enabling them to make groundbreaking discoveries and spur transformational innovations that create new products and industries, generate new jobs and address our energy, national security and technological needs.

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