The Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI) is a national centre of excellence that generates state-of-the-art fundamental research on topics of industrial significance in the fields of surface science and materials. MSSI has gathered together faculty members from a range of academic disciplines (materials, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and electronic, mechanical, biomedical and aeronautical engineering). MSSI utilises this interdisciplinary approach to develop and characterise materials from the atomic to the macroscopic scale, providing new materials, processes and applications, which are guided by a fundamental understanding of material properties and design requirements.The research strengths and interests of MSSI  reside in four areas: (i) Nanomaterials (ii) Biomaterials (iii) Composite and Glass Materials (iv) Bio/Catalysis and Clean Technology.

Goals of the Institute

• The training of post-graduate and post-doctoral researchers
• The generation of high quality publications in basic and applied research
• The provision of state-of-the-art facilities in a small number of specialisms
• The generation of quality intellectual proprietary information of value to the Institute and to industrial collaborators
• The provision of significantly improved opportunities for research collaboration
• The provision of specialised training services in advanced topics within the core competence of the Institute