Materials Research Laboratory: Driving interdisciplinary materials research at MIT
The MRL helps bring together academia, government, and industry to accelerate innovation in sustainability, energy, and advanced materials.
Professor John Joannopoulos, photonics pioneer and Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies director, dies at 78
Over 50 years at MIT, the condensed-matter physicist led the development of photonic crystals, translating discoveries into wide-ranging applications in energy, medicine, and defense.
Study sheds light on graphite’s lifespan in nuclear reactors
Scientists have discovered a link between the material’s pore size distribution and its ability to withstand radiation.
Creeping crystals: Scientists observe “salt creep” at the single-crystal scale
Device Research Lab study uncovers mechanisms behind a phenomenon that can impact civil engineering, desalination, coatings, membrane design, art conservation, and more.
Theory-guided strategy expands the scope of measurable quantum interactions
An oft-ignored effect can be used to probe an important property of semiconductors, a new study finds.
Professor Emeritus Keith Johnson, pioneering theorist in materials science and independent filmmaker, dies at 89
Longtime MIT solid-state physicist brought theoretical insights to an experiment-driven discipline — and later, to film.
Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials
Developed to analyze new semiconductors, the system could streamline the development of more powerful solar panels.
Nth Cycle is bringing critical metals refining to the U.S.
Co-founded by Professor Desirée Plata, the company is already producing nickel and cobalt from battery scrap in Ohio.
Four from MIT named 2025 Goldwater Scholars
Rising seniors Avani Ahuja, Julianna Lian, Jacqueline Prawira, and Alex Tang are honored for their academic achievements.
The tenured engineers of 2025
Eleven faculty members have been granted tenure in six units across MIT’s School of Engineering.
QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2025-26
Ranking at the top for the 14th year in a row, the Institute also places first in 11 subject areas.
New 3D chips could make electronics faster and more energy-efficient
The low-cost, scalable technology can seamlessly integrate high-speed gallium nitride transistors onto a standard silicon chip.
Startup’s biosensor makes drug development and manufacturing cheaper
Protein sensor developed by alumna-founded Advanced Silicon Group can be used for research and quality control in biomanufacturing.
Physicists observe a new form of magnetism for the first time
The magnetic state offers a new route to “spintronic” memory devices that would be faster and more efficient than their electronic counterparts.
New 3D printing method enables complex designs and creates less waste
MIT engineers developed a technique for making intricate structures with supports that can be dissolved and reused instead of thrown away.