MRL Awards, Employment, and Funding

The PPG Foundation is generously supporting the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a NEW opportunity for graduate students to propose a collaborative seed project for one year related to materials and surfaces, the “PPG-Illinois Graduate Student Discovery Project” awards. This new program will support 2 students to develop a joint collaborative project. Targeted disciplines will include materials science and engineering, physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, chemistry & biomolecular engineering, condensed matter physics, and related areas of study inside and out of the MRL community (primarily Grainger Engineering and School of Chemical Sciences). 

Full Application Details will be released fall 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. 

Information on the application process will be available in the fall 2025.