Welcome to AMPAC
The Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) is an interdisciplinary research and education center for materials science and engineering located at the University of Central Florida (UCF). AMPAC's vision is to make UCF an international leader in materials science and engineering research and education by:
- Excelling in the development, processing and characterization of advanced materials to achieve prominence in targeted research areas
- Providing leadership to the UCF Materials Science and Engineering research and education program
- Enhancing economic growth and promoting industrial development through effective partnerships with industry
In an age of global scientific advances and intrinsic research
opportunities, we at the centers of Advanced Materials
and Nanotechnology at UCF strive to empower, inspire
and challenge.
Our journey began in 1998, when The Advanced Materials
Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) was founded. AMPAC
has built a reputation for research and education excellence.
In 2005, the NanoScience Technology Center (NSTC) was
formed. NSTC has already surpassed expectations in the
field of Nanotechnology and has attained academic and research
distinction in its own right.
The common goal and purpose of both centers is to strongly
promote interdisciplinary research. Research opportunities
in areas as diverse as Green Energy, In Vitro Test Systems,
Functional Nanomaterials, Computer/Mathematical Simulations,
Assistive Robotics, Quantum Dynamics, Bioimaging, NanoElectronics & NanoPhysics,
Integrated Device Development and Advanced Materials have
been explored. Our work intersects with research areas
including biology, medicine, energy, microelectronics,
and nanotechnology. Our expectations are to further these
applications, initiate advances in biomaterials and continue
collaborative work in energy, optics and other fields.
We currently offer outstanding M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs
in Materials Science and Engineering and host the NSF
REU site on nanotechnology. We started the first nanoscience
undergraduate education program through the NSF NUE program.
In the future, we are looking forward to implementing a
formal course of study in nanotechnology.
Together, AMPAC and NSTC have been recipients of prestigious
awards and accolades for research distinctionin materials
science and engineering and nanoscience and technology.
AMPAC and NSTC faculty have received NSF CAREER, ONR YIP,
and DARPA YIA awards and have been named fellows of prestigious
scientific societies including the American Society of
Materials, American Vacuum Society, American Association
for the Advancement of Science, and American Institute
for Medical and Biological Engineering. Our excellence
is derived from our creative and exceptional faculty members,
outstanding research facilities, and talented graduate
students, postdoctoral fellows, visiting scientists, administrative
staffs and engineers. Collaborations with other universities,
government agencies, and private industries are actively
sought and effectively executed, and, from FY07-09, both
the centers generated more than $17 million in research
funding.
Our two university-wide multi-user facilities – the Materials
Characterization Facility (MCF) and the Advanced
Microfabrication Facility (AMF) - are available to
all researchers at UCF and from outside companies, government
labs, and universities, enabling them to perform cutting-edge
research, and to train and educate students and other personnel
in the use of state-of-the-art equipment.
As a team, our collective mission is to cross new frontiers
in academics and research and to achieve long-lasting working
partnerships across the public and private platform. We
endeavor to accomplish our vision both at the national
and international level.
I invite you to explore our world of Materials and Nanotechnology
at the University of Central Florida. I truly hope you
will join us in our quest for cutting edge interdisciplinary
research, outstanding academics and groundbreaking science.
Sudipta Seal, Director
Advanced
Materials Processing Analysis Center and
Nanoscience
and Technology Center,
Professor, Mechanical Materials Aerospace Engineering