New Facilities

Materials Research Building

Construction of the new Materials Research Building (MRB) is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2008. The MRB will be a 2-story, 44,000 square foot building near the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Center for Advanced Power Systems and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. The estimated construction cost is $17 million. The MRB will house 13 laboratories for the design, processing and characterization of advanced materials and systems.

In November 2006, the Florida Board of Governors approved the university’s proposal to receive $4 million in support of a Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials, which will be housed in the MRB. The new center will develop technologies to make new materials that are stronger, lighter, multifunctional and affordable, says Engineering Professor Ben Wang, program manager for the new center. The center also will provide training statewide to prepare a strong workforce base to attract advanced material industries to the state.