Article contributed by Victoria Padilla, PREM PI, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Palm trees and ocean breezes served as the perfect backdrop for the 2026 Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting and Exhibit held earlier this year in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. There, materials scientists from around the world had the opportunity to share advances in research, establish new collaborations, and engage in professional development. Members of the PREM community had a strong presence at the meeting and, for them, perhaps one of the most meaningful experiences was the opportunity for Principal Investigators (PIs), faculty members, and students from multiple PREM centers to meet in person and discuss ways to strengthen collaboration across the network.
“Having the opportunity to connect in person with other PREM PIs, faculty, and students was incredibly valuable,” says Victoria Padilla, PREM PI at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. “PREM is more than a group of individuals; we are a community with many shared goals and challenges. These face-to-face conversations allow us to identify new opportunities for collaboration, and discuss how we can continue strengthening the PREM network and creating meaningful opportunities for our students”
Several PREM center representatives met not only to exchange experiences but also to discuss common challenges and identify new ways to enhance student engagement within the broader materials research community. Michele Feder, MRS Community Engagement Partner, led the discussion.
“Hosting PREM students at MRS Meetings reflects our core commitment to broadening participation in materials science and engineering,” says Feder, who has worked closely with the PREM program and has long supported activities that strengthen collaboration and professional development across the PREM network. “It gives students a real opportunity to connect with the global materials community and find their place in it. Investing in their growth today means investing in the future of the field.”
PREM Research on Display
The strong PREM presence throughout the MRS Spring Meeting also demonstrated the breadth of research being conducted across the network. Students and faculty presented work spanning advanced manufacturing, energy materials, nanotechnology, biomaterials, electronic materials, and sustainable materials processing, illustrating both the diversity of PREM research and the collaborative environment fostered by the program.
Beyond the scientific presentations, the meeting reinforced one of the greatest strengths of the PREM program: the opportunity to build lasting collaborations among institutions while providing students with access to a broad national network of researchers. These interactions not only strengthen ongoing research partnerships but also create new opportunities for student exchanges, collaborative proposals, and future multidisciplinary projects.
In an effort to continue building student engagement, Feder, and a group of PREM PIs will hold a PREM student poster session at the 2026 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston on December 1. Approximately 25-30 undergraduate and graduate students representing 13 different PREM centers are expected to participate. In addition to showcasing student research, the event will include networking and professional development activities designed to connect PREM students with researchers from academia, national laboratories, industry, and other MRS Meeting participants. This initiative represents an important step toward increasing the visibility of PREM students while expanding opportunities for scientific collaboration and career development. It also reflects the collaborative spirit that characterizes the PREM community and its shared commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for students.