MDS-Rely brings together industry, academia, and government to apply rigorous data science methods to the reliability and lifetime of essential materials — enabling longer-lasting, higher-performing products.
Explore MembershipOur Mission
What We Do
The MDS-Rely Center applies data science-informed research to better understand the reliability and performance lifetime of essential materials. By fostering sustained partnerships between industry, academia, and government, we accelerate discoveries that translate directly into stronger, more durable products.
Rigorous Data Science
We apply state-of-the-art analytics, machine learning, and statistical modeling to extract actionable reliability insights from complex materials data.
Industry–Academia Bridge
Members gain direct access to university expertise and facilities, while researchers tackle real-world challenges that matter to industry and society.
Pre-Competitive Research
Our NSF IUCRC structure enables cost-shared, pre-competitive collaboration — letting multiple organizations benefit from research no single entity could fund alone.
Why It Matters
Unlocking Unprecedented Lifetimes
Materials reliability sits at the heart of nearly every technology sector — from renewable energy and aerospace to consumer electronics and infrastructure. Failure mechanisms are complex, data is sparse, and testing timelines can span decades.
MDS-Rely's approach has the potential to transform this field: creating technologies that enable unprecedented lifetimes, durability in extreme environments, and a deeper understanding of degradation and failure mechanisms across diverse materials systems.
What Is an NSF IUCRC?
An Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) is an NSF-supported model that enables industrially-relevant, pre-competitive research through multi-member, sustained partnerships among industry, academia, and government.
NSF provides financial and procedural frameworks for membership and operations, drawing on decades of experience fostering public–private partnerships that deliver significant value to the nation, to industry, and to university faculty and students.
Learn more about the IUCRC program →IUCRC Program Impact
A Proven Model for Research Partnership
1:33
Every $1 in member contributions leverages $33 in additional research funding
804
Unique industry members across all IUCRCs
73
Active centers nationwide
203
Research sites across the country
37
States with an IUCRC research site
1,630+
Center-trained students hired by member organizations (since 2008)
Data from 2017 NSF IUCRC program report.
How We Work
Structure & Partnership
Center Structure
The Partnership Model
Ready to Join MDS-Rely?
Partner with leading researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Pittsburgh to solve your most critical materials reliability challenges.
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