The goal of the LSU Institute for Advanced Materials (IAM) is to foster Discovery, Innovation, and Education in Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E). The quality of LSU’s MS&E faculty and their established research programs will serve as the foundation for IAM. IAM will focus on enhancing faculty productivity both in research and education. IAM will make it easier to attract outstanding faculty and graduate students and will provide them with excellent academic and research training in MS&E. At present there are 98 faculty members from 13 departments who have chosen to be affiliated with IAM: 48 from the College of Engineering and 50 from the College of Science.
IAM activities are aligned to the mission of regional economic development alliances, such as LED and the BRAC. LSU’s strategic research plan includes seven focal areas, MS&E being one. MS&E plays a major role in four other areas: “Renewable Energy;” “Coastal Sustainability;” “Biological & Biomedical,” and; “Core Computing.” The importance of materials is pervasive throughout all the science and technology strategic areas.