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Materials Research Lab will be headed by Cem Tasan

MIT Metallurgist Cem Tasan, recognized for his collaborative and industry-focused work, named as Director of MIT Materials Research Lab.

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MIT Metallurgist Cem Tasan, recognized for his collaborative work and industry partnerships, has...
MIT Metallurgist Cem Tasan, recognized for his collaborative work and industry partnerships, has been chosen to lead the Materials Research Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Materials Research Lab will be headed by Cem Tasan

MIT Appoints C. Cem Tasan as Director of Materials Research Laboratory

Effective March 15, C. Cem Tasan has been tapped to lead the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The POSCO Associate Professor of Metallurgy in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE), Tasan takes over from Lionel "Kim" Kimerling, who has served as interim director since August 2023, following Carl Thompson's resignation.

Vice President for Research Ian Waitz announced Tasan's appointment in a letter, praising his vision for expanding MRL's collaboration with materials researchers across the Institute and external partners. The MRL, a leading interdisciplinary center dedicated to materials science and engineering, fosters cross-disciplinary research, industry, and government partnerships, driving technological innovations.

C. Cem Tasan's research focuses on the fracture in metals and the design of damage-resistant alloys. In his lab, Tasan and his team have demonstrated a multiscale approach for designing high-strength titanium alloys and explained the stress intensification mechanism impacting human hair's damage to hard steel razors.

As MRL director, Tasan will oversee its research mission, promoting internal collaboration, reinforcing interdisciplinary innovations, and managing Building 13, the Vannevar Bush Building, which houses essential research facilities and labs. The incoming director anticipates fostering a strong materials research community among the MIT faculty.

Lionel "Kim" Kimerling, the outgoing interim director, lauded Tasan's ability to connect basic science with engineering solutions, ensuring MIT's continued creative relevance to society. Earlier, Kimerling served as MRL's director from 1993 to 2008, transforming its precursor, the Materials Processing Center (MPC), into a vital interface between industry and academia.

Carl Thompson, the former MPC director from 2008 to 2017, expressed confidence in Tasan's leadership, noting his close ties to industry and contributions to the renaissance of physical metallurgy at MIT.

Established in 2017 through the amalgamation of the MIT Materials Processing Center (MPC) and the Center for Materials Science and Engineering, the MRL is committed to accelerating breakthroughs in areas such as energy conversion, quantum materials, and materials sustainability by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Enrichment Data:The MIT Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) operates as a premier research facility dedicated to materials science and engineering, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and promoting cutting-edge research. Under leadership, it advances materials science with a focus on developing new materials, improving existing ones, and exploring diverse applications. The MRL provides educational opportunities and engages with the broader community to promote the understanding and application of materials science. Throughout its history, the MRL has contributed to significant advancements in materials science and technology under the guidance of renowned directors like C. Cem Tasan, Lionel "Kim" Kimerling, and Carl Thompson.

  1. Tasan, with his focus on fracture in metals and design of damage-resistant alloys, will continue driving breakthroughs in materials science and technology at the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) at MIT.
  2. The new MRL director, Tasan, anticipates working closely with the faculty to foster a strong materials research community at the Institute.
  3. The MRL, under Tasan's leadership, will continue to accelerate breakthroughs in areas such as energy conversion, quantum materials, and materials sustainability.
  4. The MIT Appointee, Tasan, has demonstrated a multiscale approach for designing high-strength titanium alloys, contributing to the renaissance of physical metallurgy at MIT.
  5. In his role, Tasan will oversee the MRL's mission, promoting internal collaboration, reinforcing interdisciplinary innovations, and managing the essential research facilities and labs housed in Building 13.
  6. Tasan's team in the labs has explained the stress intensification mechanism impacting human hair's damage to hard steel razors, showcasing the MRL's commitment to basic science and its connections to engineering solutions.
  7. As a leading interdisciplinary center dedicated to materials science and engineering, the MRL fosters cross-disciplinary research, industry, and government partnerships, driving technological innovations.
  8. Vice President for Research Ian Waitz highlighted Tasan's vision for expanding MRL's collaboration with materials researchers across the Institute and external partners.
  9. The MRL has contributed to significant advancements in materials science and technology under the guidance of renowned directors like C. Cem Tasan, Lionel "Kim" Kimerling, and Carl Thompson.
  10. Tasan's ability to connect basic science with engineering solutions ensures MIT's continued creative relevance to society, maintaining the Institute's commitment to education-and-self-development, technology, and science.

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