What We Do

Researching the vast potential of advanced materials let alone developing and commercializing them requires the use of expensive infrastructure, involves a lot of trial and error as well as meticulous planning. It can also cost a fortune and take decades to transition from research to real-world application. As a solution, the Materials Genome Initiative or MGI was launched in 2011 to help accelerate the development of advanced materials at a fraction of the cost.

Several federal agencies joined the effort including the National Science Foundation, which created the DMREF program, short for Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer Our Future. Today, nearly 20 federal agencies including the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Science and Technology are part of the effort and have invested more than $1 billion in resources and infrastructure. They each strive toward developing and strengthening the country’s materials innovation infrastructure, achieving national goals with the help of advanced materials and establishing a solid foundation that will allow for continued efficient and effective use of these materials.

Learn more about DMREF including opportunities to be part of the program. Also visit the DMREF solicitation page.

Resources

2023 DMREF Solicitation

The 2023 solicitation is open to all materials research topics, ranging from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing to research and development of clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Find additional information on the solicitation in this webinar, organized by the DMREF Management Team.

Materials Genome Initiative Strategic Plans

Creating the Next-Generation Materials Genome Initiative Workforce

Building a world-class materials science and engineering workforce proficient in the tools and techniques necessary to accelerate the discovery, development, and deployment of advanced materials is one of four goals presented in the 2014 strategic plan of the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI). As we approach nearly a decade of progress since the initiative was first announced in 2011, this technical report from the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society builds on previous work and offers a series of action plans and recommendations that address the strategic plan’s goals for education and training initiatives, which are critical to achieving the MGI’s national objectives.

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)