The UC Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory and the NSF MRSEC program are committed to providing a welcoming environment for all students, researchers, and faculty members and other partners. Below we list MRL programs and partnerships and encourage all students, researchers and faculty to get involved.
Undergraduate Initiatives and Resources
MRL undergraduate research opportunities
The MRL offers a variety of research opportunities for undergraduates from UCSB and other universities.
Are you interested in volunteering? Please subscribe to the mrlstudents or mrlresearchers listservs to stay informed of opportunities. Are you interested in developing or sharing your own activity? Please talk to Dr Dotti Pak (pak@ucsb.edu) .
Materials Mondays
Virtual presentations of materials research, aimed at all audience levels, and presented by current and past researchers from the Materials Research Laboratory.
Are you interested in receiving Materials Mondays announcements? Please subscribe to the MRL listserv to stay connected.
Working with local teachers
The MRL has active partnerships with local teachers. Graduate students and researchers participate as research mentors, content experts and classroom volunteers. For more information contact Dr. Frank Kinnaman (kinnaman@ucsb.edu)
Awards and Positions
Materials Science Ambassador
Experienced graduate student outreach volunteers receive hourly payment to lead classroom visits and evening study halls. For more information please contact Dr. Dotti Pak (pak@ucsb.edu)
MRL-Dow Travel Awards
These awards are intended to support activities outside the scope of our existing programs, such as travel by researchers to industrial laboratories and conferences.
Summer Supermentors
Experienced graduate student research mentors are hired to assist with summer research experiences for undergraduates programs. Our supermentors lead workshops and seminars, assist students with preparing oral and poster presentations, and advise other mentors. Interested? Please contact Dr. Dotti Pak (pak@ucsb.edu)
Education Programs Awards
The MRL Education and Outreach program acknowledges outstanding graduate student volunteers with annual awards for Excellence in Education Outreach, Outstanding Research Mentor, ScienceLine Responder and K-12 Volunteer.
