C. Cem Tasan has been designated as the director of MIT’s Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), starting March 15. The POSCO Associate Professor of Metallurgy within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE), Tasan takes over from Lionel “Kim” Kimerling, who has served as interim director since Carl Thompson resigned in August 2023.
“MRL is a vital asset for MIT, and Cem possesses a definitive vision to enhance the lab’s collaboration with materials researchers throughout the Institute and with external partners and sponsors,” noted Vice President for Research Ian Waitz, in a letter announcing the new role.
The MRL stands as a premier interdisciplinary center focused on materials science and engineering. As a hub of innovation, the MRL brings together researchers from various fields, encourages partnerships with industry and government, and propels advancements that influence the future of technology. Through groundbreaking studies, the MRL bolsters MIT’s mission to promote science and technology for societal benefit, facilitating discoveries that have a significant impact across various sectors and daily life.
“MRL occupies a central role in materials research initiatives across departments at MIT,” states Tasan. “It has tremendous potential to evolve from its current position, right at the heart of the Institute’s innovative center.”
In his role as director, Tasan will spearhead MRL’s research endeavors, with a focus on enhancing internal synergy and building on the laboratory’s extensive history of industry involvement. He will also be responsible for managing Building 13, the Vannevar Bush Building, which accommodates crucial research facilities and laboratories.
“MRL is in excellent hands with Cem Tasan’s guidance,” remarks Kimerling, the outgoing interim director. “His vision for a cohesive MIT materials community, whose achievements are nurtured by the intersection of fundamental science and engineering solutions, provides the foundation for MIT’s creative relevance to society. His collegial demeanor, inspiring energy, and patient methods will ensure its success.”
Tasan is a metallurgist skilled in the fracture behavior of metals and the development of damage-resistant alloys. Among various achievements, his laboratory has shown a multiscale approach to designing high-strength/high-ductility titanium alloys; and elucidated the stress intensification phenomenon that occurs when human hair damages hard steel razors, paving the way for more durable blades.
“We require superior materials that can function under increasingly extreme conditions for nearly all of our essential industries and applications,” Tasan comments. “Materials research at MRL defines interdisciplinary avenues to confront this critical challenge.”
He received his education in Turkey and the Netherlands, obtaining his PhD from Eindhoven University of Technology before leading a research team at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials in Germany for several years. He joined the MIT faculty in 2016 and achieved tenure in 2022.
“Cem has directed one of the principal collaborative research teams at MRL and anticipates continuing to foster a robust community among the MIT materials research faculty,” Waitz expressed in his letter on March 14.
The MRL was established in 2017 through the merger of the MIT Materials Processing Center (MPC) and the Center for Materials Science and Engineering. This consolidation was aimed at reinforcing MIT’s leadership in materials research by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing breakthroughs in fields like energy conversion, quantum materials, and materials sustainability.
From 2008 to 2017, Thompson, the Stavros Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, held the role of director at the MPC. During his tenure, he significantly contributed to the expansion of materials research and the development of links with industry, government entities, and academic institutions. Following the formation of the MRL in 2017, Thompson was appointed its first director, steering the new laboratory to prominence as a center for cutting-edge materials science. He resigned from this position in August 2023.
At that time, Kimerling took the helm as interim director of MRL. He brought considerable knowledge of the lab’s legacy, having directed the MPC from 1993 to 2008, thereby transforming it into a vital interface between industry and academia. Under his guidance, the MPC evolved into a key access point for industry partners to collaborate with MIT faculty across materials-related areas, bridging fundamental research with practical applications. His vision propelled technological innovation and economic progress by aligning academic proficiency with the requirements of the industry. As interim director of MRL over the past 18 months, Kimerling has maintained the continuity of leadership.
“I’m thrilled that Cem will become the next MRL director,” states Thompson. “He’s an excellent fit. He has been part of MPC, and subsequently MRL, since the onset of his faculty journey at MIT. He has also played a crucial role in rejuvenating physical metallurgy at MIT and has strong connections to industry.”