The NSF-sponsored Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (UW MRSEC) is focused on the fundamental study of the structure and properties of interfaces at the nanoscale level of atoms and molecules. It is doing so across a wide array of materials platforms, from inorganic semiconducting materials to liquid crystals with engineered defects. The Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) and SEED projects are built on the existing strong base of expertise at UW-Madison, collaborating industries, and national laboratories. The UW MRSEC Education Group (IEG) creates and distributes a broad range of educational products that are widely used for K-12 and college-level instruction on topics that build on the center’s materials science discoveries and expertise.