Building on a legacy of excellence in glass science and engineering, the new Center for Glass Research (CGR) was recently launched at Penn State. It brings together the expertise of researchers from Penn State, Alfred University, and the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in a strategic collaborative initiative.
"United by a shared commitment to innovation, the Center for Glass Research plans to integrate fundamental research with cutting-edge experimental and computational methods to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the glass industry today," said Maziar Montazerian, managing director of the CGR and assistant research professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State.
The mission of the CGR is to advance glass technologies through leveraging new tools and new approaches. Resulting knowledge outcomes and technological advancements will be developed in close collaboration with industry partners, ensuring a seamless transition from laboratory innovations to real-world industrial applications, according to Montazerian.
Penn State has a long history of leadership in glass research, beginning in the late 1930s with Woldemar Weyl and Norbert Kreidl.
"Woldemar Weyl, who retired in 1968 from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences' faculty, was one of the founders of modern glass science," said John Mauro, department head of Materials Science and Engineering and Dorothy Pate Enright Professor. "His research on the chemistry and physics of glass led to numerous practical applications and better everyday materials. This new center will build on that legacy."
Between 1996 and 2006, the U.S. National Science Foundation supported a CGR through its Industry-University Cooperative Research Center Program, which led to groundbreaking initiatives that transformed the glass industry, according to the researchers. Hosted at Alfred University and including the same partners, Missouri S&T, formerly known as the University of Missouri at Rolla, and Penn State, the center forged lasting partnerships with key U.S. glass industry leaders and made substantial contributions to basic science, manufacturing, defense and biomedical technologies. Its impact continues to shape the field today. This new center will build on and expand those contributions.
One of most lasting achievements of the previous CGR was cultivating a skilled workforce pipeline that guided students into impactful careers and drove innovation across the industry. But as the glass industry evolved, so did its challenges.
Mauro said that today, the sector faces urgent demands like decarbonization, advanced performance requirements and a rapidly expanding customer base. Fortunately, new tools - such as in-situ characterization with real-time sensing, machine learning and advanced simulations of non-equilibrium materials - offer ways to meet these challenges.
"Together, Penn State, Alfred University and Missouri S&T form an ideal team," Montazerian said. "Each institution brings unique strengths to the table and by joining forces, each institution can systematically tackle the most complex scientific problems facing the glass industry today, problems no single institution could solve alone. This revitalized center represents a significant step forward for glass research, and we're proud to be part of it."
To celebrate the launch of the new CGR, there will be an inaugural kickoff meeting at Penn State on Oct. 29. This event will bring together leading experts from academia and industry to explore collaborative opportunities, share insights, and set priorities for research and workforce development.
"Our initiatives have received enthusiastic responses from academic and industry partners," Montazerian said. "The agenda's packed with talks and presentations that explore today's biggest challenges in glass science, explore new proposal opportunities, and look ahead to where the field and the workforce is headed."
Seong Kim, head of the Penn State's Department of Chemical Engineering and holder of the Walter L. Robb Family Department Head's Chair, serves as the center's co-director along with Mauro. Kim is also a professor of materials science and engineering.
