#40069

                         RECORDS OF THE
                    MATERIALS RESEARCH CENTER

                             in the
             University Archives and Records Service
           University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
                    Wilson Library, CB# 3926
                   Chapel Hill, North Carolina
                           27514-8890

                         September 1983

     While the Materials Research Center was not formally
established until 1965, its program originated in an October 1961
grant from the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA).  The grant was made under the ARPA program for
Interdisciplinary Laboratories for Basic Research in Materials
Sciences; this funding lasted until June 30, 1971.  Beginning in
FY 1971-1972, the Center received annual grants from the National
Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research and from the
Army Research Office's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

     During its first four years (1961-1965), the program was
jointly administered by the chairmen of the Departments of
Chemistry and Physics.  In December 1965 Dr. Everett D.
Palmatier, newly appointed Vice Chancellor for Advanced Studies
and Research, created the Materials Research Center to administer
the program.  The Center was governed by a Director assisted by
an Executive Committee.  The latter was composed of the chairmen
of the Departments of Chemistry and Physics, an additional
appointee from these two departments, and a fifth member from the
biomedical area.  In September 1967 the Division of Advanced
Studies and Research was dismantled, and the Materials Research
Center was placed in the Division of Academic Affairs.

     During its thirteen-and-one-half-year existence the
Materials Research Center sought to expand opportunities for
basic research and training in the materials sciences by
supplying funding to researchers in solid state physics (e.g.,
defect studies, Fermi surfaces in metals, radiation damage, thin
films, super-conductivity), in certain areas of chemistry (e.g.,
electrochemistry, trace analysis, transition metal compounds,
organic semiconductors), and in certain fields of biomedicine
(e.g., effects of body fluids on prosthetic materials, dental
material problems).  On June 30, 1979, with the termination of
NSF funding, the Materials Research Center ceased to function as
an administrative unit of the University.  The Directors of the
Materials Research Center were as follows:

     J. Charles Morrow, December 1965-June 30, 1966
     Wayne A. Bowers (acting), July 1, 1966-February 7, 1968
     Charles S. Smith, Jr., February 8, 1968-June 30, 1979

     For additional information on the Materials Research Center,
please consult Records of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for
Advanced Studies and Research and Records of the Office of
Provost in the University Archives.

     The records of the Center in the Archives consist of
administrative correspondence, executive committee minutes, grant
applications and correspondence with funding agencies, and annual
reports.  They cover the years 1961-1979.  An inventory of these
records is provided below.

Box 1:
     Administrative Correspondence and Memoranda, 1961-1979 
          (mainly with the Provost)
     Annual Reports (submitted to the granting agencies as well 
          as the campus administration)
     Administrative Reports, 1962; 1965-1979
          (narrative reports of the Center's activities)
     Technical Reports, 1963-1979
          (summaries of individual research project
          accomplishments)
     Army Research Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects 
          Agency, Grant Proposals, 1965 (for FY 1965/66)-1974
          (for FY 1975/76)
     Executive Committee Minutes and Correspondence, 1966-1978

Box 2:
     National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research:
          Correspondence, 1970-1979
               (includes grant award letters, evaluations by the
               NSF National Science Board, site visits, and
               general grant-related correspondence)
          Grant Proposals, 1971 (for FY 1972/73)-1977 (for FY
               1978/79)