See how we're "Saving Silver"!

The National Science Foundation's Science Nation team has produced a video segment, narrated by former CNN chief technology and environment correspondent Miles O'Brien, about our efforts to help the Walters Art Museum develop a new protective coating for silver art and artifacts. You can watch it here on our channel or visit the Science Nation Web site at http://www.nsf.gov/news/specia­l_reports/science_nation/silve­rsaver.jsp for even more information. (Video courtesy of and used with kind permission of the National Science Foundation.)

Check out the newest video on our Favorites list, "TMV Battery Project." The video, by MSE graduate student Konstantinos Gerasopoulos, shows how the interdisciplinary team on which he works is using deactivated tobacco mosaic viruses as templates in the design of tiny batteries! (No, you won't get sick if you use them to power something!) You can read about the project at http://www.mse.umd.edu/news/ne­­ws_story.php?id=5376.

Two of our students are members of the Mighty Sound of Maryland (MSOM), the University of Maryland's marching band. Check out our Favorites playlist to watch the MSOM's award winning performance in CBS' Hawaii 5-0 Marching Band Mania contest, and their performance of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at our 2010 Homecoming game!

Everything is made of something, and materials scientists make the materials that make the world better!

Materials science and engineering forms the basis for cutting-edge technologies including nano, biomedical, and information technology. It combines engineering, physics and chemistry with real-world applications through theory and hands-on learning. Materials science encompasses the spectrum of materials: metals, ceramics, biomaterials, polymers (plastics), semiconductors, and composites. In order to build things like cars with better gas mileage, ultra high density hard drives for future computers, advanced solar cells, and better medical devices (just to name a few!), we need innovative new materials that improve on what is available today.