Fundamental scientific research on interfaces in the US Department of Energyʹs Materials Sciences and Engineering program

This paper describes two facets of the Materials Sciences and Engineering program under the Office of Basic Energy Sciences at the US Department of Energy: (1) its organizational structure, mission, guiding principles, identification of national scientific user facilities, principal core research activities, identification of some unique portfolio activities, key focus areas, scientific challenges, and the linkage of these challenges to the mission of the Department of Energy; and (2) some recent accomplishments based on science funded under this program that relate to the atomic-level understanding and design of ceramic and metal interfaces.