Increasingly, a combined approach of experiment, theory and simulation is necessary to process materials and implement them in new and productive ways. National Priorities and Materials Georgia Tech has demonstrated its resolve to meet the challenges of the future. These challenges invariably revolve around the subject of materials. Materials have been in the forefront of major technological advances, from the dawn of civilization to the most recent developments in modern computers, aerospace, biological implants and many other equally significant areas. Development of new materials has been identified as the enabling technology for major projects of the future whose success is strongly linked to the industrial competitiveness and the reduction of trade imbalances for the United States in the twenty-first century.
Material developments are key to meeting each of the above requirements.
Similarly, new materials and processing techniques are also necessary for achieving the objectives in current areas of high national priority such as telecommunications, space exploration, commercial and military aviation, consumer electronics, clean and renewable energy sources and biomedical applications. Recognizing the importance of materials research to sustaining competitiveness in key industries such as aerospace, automotive and microelectronics, the U.S. government has projected substantial future investment in a coordinated, multi-agency thrust in advanced materials and processing. This materials revolution has created ample opportunities for careers which stem from a solid foundation in university education and research.