The Grainger College of Engineering
Materials Research Laboratory

MRL Awards, Employment, and Funding

 

PPG logo

 

PPG-MRL Graduate Research Assistantship Award

Information on the next cohort will available summer 2025

 

These prestigious postdoctoral positions are designed to support outstanding early-career scientists and engineers specializing in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, and related fields. Successful candidates will initially be appointed as full-time Postdoctoral Research Associates for one year, with the option of a second year. This program is available thanks to an endowment created by Phyllis Greene, Joe’s wife of 55 years, to honor Professor Joe Greene (Dr. J.E. Greene),  who was a distinguished faculty member in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a former director of The Materials Research Laboratory. Prof. Greene was renowned for his enduring impact and dedication to fostering the careers of young scientists and emerging leaders in the fields of materials science engineering, basic science, and applied technology. Read more about Professor Joe Greene's Legacy. 

Fellows in the 2025-2026 class are expected to be made in January 2025. 

Information on the next cohort will be available in the fall of 2025. 

  • Fellows receive an annual salary of $67,000 and a $5,000 research budget that can be spent on research activities including supplies and equipment, and professional development activities including conference and workshop travel.
  • Fellows are appointed annually for up to two years.

  • Ph.D. degree or equivalent within the last 10 years.
  • Relevance of the stated research interests to the portfolio of the MRL.
  • Graduate students and Postdoctoral Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are eligible to apply.
  • The application package includes three letters of reference:
    • At least two of the three letters should address the applicant’s prior professional experience.
    • One letter may come from a proposed MRL faculty mentor. Note, an MRL faculty member can provide a letter even if that faculty member has not agreed in advance to host the applicant should they be selected.
  • Fellows in the 2025-2026 class should start their appointments between January 2025 and December 2025 of the award year.