Education and Outreach

Through our strong outreach partnerships, MRSEC faculty, students and staff bring cutting edge research concepts to the public through research-inspired and tested activities that spark curiosity and exploration, and occasionally a little get messy! Research teams discuss the synthesis, structure, and properties of materials, utilizing hands-on inquiry-based activities to engage the public and K-12 audiences.

The Wisconsin MRSEC launched the Forward Fellows program in 2025 with 10 incoming graduate students from 9 departments. The program promotes students’ sense of self-efficacy in research and belonging at the university, and provides the opportunity for students to join the campus community and immerse themselves in research one month before their program’s official start date. Admitted students who would especially benefit from the experience were nominated by faculty in departments affiliated with the MRSEC.

The Wisconsin MRSEC has partnered with the Morgridge Institute for Research to bring scientific outreach to underserved communities. Afterschool programs, especially programs that serve economically disadvantaged students, can face major barriers to bringing students to campus for STEM outreach activities. To increase access, the Morgridge Institute has created Afterschool Expeditions, a program that brings UW-Madison research-inspired STEM outreach to students in their programs instead asking them to come to campus.

Wisconsin MRSEC Research Experience for Teachers 2022 fellow Lalitha Murali leveraged her connection with Jason Kawasaki in Wisconsin MRSEC IRG 2 and support from a Agris-Pine grant from the Society for Science to arrange science project mentors for 7th grade students from her Title I school in Milwaukee.