Earlier this year, the National Academy of Engineering identified “Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century,” which if solved would be critical to sustaining our way of life.

Of the 14 challenges, 10 depend on significant breakthroughs in materials research:

• make solar energy economical
• provide energy from fusion
• develop carbon sequestration methods
• provide access to clean water
• restore and improve urban infrastructures
• manage the nitrogen cycle
• prevent nuclear terror
• enhance virtual reality
• engineer better medicines
• advance health informatics

Given Ohio State’s expertise in materials science and engineering, we play a major role in solving many of these challenges. Our success in materials research funding is highlighted by federal research centers including the NSF Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices, as well as three Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers: the Smart Vehicle Concepts Center, Center for Advanced Polymer and Composite Engineering, and Center for Precision Forming.

These entities are strengthened by major industry- and state-supported centers, such as the Wright Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices, the Fontana Corrosion Center, and the Center for the Accelerated Maturation of Materials. Ohio State is a founding member of the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization, which alone represents $18.6 million in direct funding and more than $23 million in cost-share from its member universities and 16 initial participating companies.

Ohio State’s Institute for Materials Research supports, leverages and coordinates these centers. These organizations and the efforts of individual faculty members contribute significantly to the university‘s current ranking of third in materials research funding, which enables us to make significant progress in a number of the Grand Challenges.