The Center for Advanced Materials Research was established in 1986 to strengthen research and education in the synthesis, properties, and understanding of new materials, with special emphasis on materials of importance to Oregon's economy. At OSU, materials science is an interdisciplinary program spanning nine departments in the colleges of Engineering, Forestry and Science: the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nucl ear Engineering, Forest Products, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.