Since 2002, MIT has hosted the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN), an interdisciplinary research center established under contract with the US Army. ISN's mission is to develop nanomaterials and related nanotechnologies that will dramatically improve the protection and survivability of soldiers.
The ultimate goal is to create a 21st-century battlesuit that combines high-tech capabilities with light weight and comfort. Imagine a bullet-proof jumpsuit, no thicker than ordinary spandex, that monitors health, eases injuries, communicates automatically, and maybe even lends superhuman abilities. It's a long-range vision of how technology can make soldiers less vulnerable to enemy and environmental threats.
ISN research is mostly conducted by graduate students completing theses, by postdoctoral researchers, and by undergraduates working through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). These researchers work in a 40,000-sq-ft facility on the MIT campus equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories designed and built for nanotech research.
Another unique feature of ISN is that most theses are co-supervised by two or more faculty members representing different areas of technical expertise. Currently, affiliated faculty come from 10 MIT departments, including Biology, Biological Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology.
In addition, many projects involve the participation of visiting experts both from industry and from Army laboratories and centers of excellence. These experts often bring practical perspectives that contribute significantly to the rich learning environment at ISN.
Students seeking to perform thesis or UROP research in ISN should contact affiliated faculty within their own department. Information may also be obtained from ISN at 617-324-4700 or at isn@mit.edu.