Director’s Message
Welcome to the Center for Complex and Active Materials (CCAM)—a National Science Foundation-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). It is my honor to introduce you to our research and education programs.
The CCAM builds on UCI’s strengths in multidisciplinary science and engineering research, experiential learning, world-class facilities, and a commitment to diversity. Our primary mission is to establish foundational knowledge toward the development of new materials that may offer unique functionalities and superb performance. The Center’s team benefits from a strong interplay among investigators who are experts in materials design, simulation, synthesis, and advanced characterization. Explicitly, the Center’s interdisciplinary team aims to create 1) hard materials with complex chemical compositions exhibiting unprecedented physical properties, such as the ability to withstand extreme environments; and 2) dynamically responsive soft materials which mimic complex biological processes and functions. Through seed projects, the Center further engages new participants in emergent research directions. The CCAM at UCI attracts many junior scientists, including women, underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities, from across the nation and trains future leaders at all academic and professional levels to address critical societal and technological challenges.
UCI is excited about and committed to building this MRSEC into a thriving research hub in the Southern California academic-industry ecosystem for materials discovery and innovation. Exceptional state-of-the-art materials research facilities, as part of a substantial campus-wide investment, are already available in the Irvine Materials Research Institute (IMRI). The impact of IMRI is leveraged by the infusion of a large number of active researchers who are involved in CCAM and have a strong track record of developing innovative techniques for materials research. UCI’s signature Inclusive Excellence culture provides an outstanding environment for promoting diversity and education at all levels. The Center’s integrated activities—including novel materials research, partnerships with industry and national laboratories, entrepreneurial innovation, career development, and mentorship—are enabling a transformative long-term impact on fundamental science, advanced applications, and workforce development.
I invite you to visit our Center and join our activities.