Australian Materials Research Society

Australian Materials Research Society
Name	Australian Materials Research Society
Abbreviation	AMRS
Formation	1980s
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	Australia
Fields	Materials science

Australian Materials Research Society is a professional association dedicated to advancing Materials science research, fostering collaboration among researchers, and promoting translation of materials discoveries into industry. The Society connects academic institutions such as University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Monash University, and University of Queensland with national laboratories like CSIRO and international organizations including Max Planck Society, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Imperial College London. It supports researchers spanning early-career fellows to senior investigators affiliated with bodies such as Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Royal Society, and Australian Academy of Science.

History

The Society traces origins to networks formed among researchers at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation campuses, early meetings held in conjunction with conferences at venues like Australian National University and University of New South Wales, and initiatives modeled on the Materials Research Society (US) and Institute of Physics (UK). Founding figures included academics from University of Adelaide, University of Western Australia, and industry scientists who had ties to corporations such as BHP and CSIRO research divisions. Over decades the Society evolved through collaborations with funding agencies like the Australian Research Council and events linked to international gatherings such as the International Union of Materials Research Societies assemblies and regional meetings involving participants from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, European Materials Research Society, and Korea Institute of Science and Technology.

Mission and Objectives

The Society's mission aligns with fostering materials innovation and knowledge transfer among institutions like Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, universities including University of Sydney and Monash University, and industry partners such as BHP and Rio Tinto. Objectives include promoting excellence recognized by awards associated with bodies like the Australian Academy of Science, supporting grant applications to agencies like the Australian Research Council, and facilitating training programs in cooperation with institutes such as CSIRO and centers affiliated with Universities Australia.

Membership and Organization

Membership comprises researchers affiliated with academic departments at University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, University of Adelaide, and University of New South Wales, as well as engineers from industrial laboratories at BHP, Rio Tinto, and startup groups connected to Australian National University incubators. The Society is structured with an elected council, regional chapters linked to cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth, and specialist committees in areas overlapping with centers like Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials and facilities such as the Australian National Fabrication Facility. Membership categories reflect ties to fellowships from the Australian Research Council and honorary relations with international bodies like Materials Research Society and European Materials Research Society.

Activities and Programs

Programs include technical workshops partnered with facilities like Australian Synchrotron, hands-on schools drawing faculty from Imperial College London and Stanford University, and outreach initiatives coordinated with museums such as the Powerhouse Museum and museums at the University of Melbourne. The Society runs mentoring schemes for recipients of fellowships from organizations including the Royal Society and the Australian Academy of Science, incubator collaborations with entities like CSIRO's ON accelerator, and industry secondments linked to corporations such as BHP and Rio Tinto.

Conferences and Publications

The Society organizes national symposiums and topical meetings colocated with gatherings at venues like Australian National University and international congresses such as those hosted by the International Union of Materials Research Societies and Materials Research Society (US). Regular publications include newsletters and proceedings featuring contributors from institutions such as University of Sydney, Monash University, University of Queensland, and laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; these outputs are distributed to libraries including the National Library of Australia and archived in repositories interoperable with platforms used by arXiv contributors and databases curated by the Australian Research Council.

Awards and Recognition

The Society administers prizes and medals recognizing achievements comparable to honors from the Australian Academy of Science, fellowships akin to ARC Future Fellowship, and travel awards facilitating participation in conferences such as the Materials Research Society annual meeting. Awardees have included researchers with appointments at University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, Monash University, and fellows formerly supported by CSIRO and international schemes like the Royal Society Fellowship.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Strategic partnerships include collaborative projects with CSIRO, joint initiatives with the Australian Synchrotron, cooperative programs involving the Australian Research Council and links to international partners such as the Max Planck Society, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Imperial College London, European Materials Research Society, and national counterparts like the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Korea Institute of Science and Technology. These collaborations support shared access to facilities such as the Australian National Fabrication Facility, training exchanges with universities including Stanford University and Imperial College London, and joint funding applications to agencies like the Australian Research Council and bilateral schemes coordinated with European Commission programs.

Category:Learned societies of Australia