The Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology under the directorship of Professor Salim Ciraci is a multi disciplinary initiative with faculty members from 5 different disciplines participating.

Rapid developments in information and communication technologies in the final quarter of the 20th century have triggered the rise ofnanotechnology- Nanotechnology involves new techniques and methods of synthesizing nano-srructures with outstanding properties and developing products with new functionalities from these new materials. Today, many countries are making significant investments in nanotechnology through academic and industrial channels.

The idea of establishing a center of excellence in nanoscience and nanotechnology in Turkey has been embraced by the State Planning Organization ("Devlet Planlama Teskilati", DPT) and as a result the project that lead to the establishment of the Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology has commenced at the end of 2005. This is a. multi-disciplinary effort led by researchers and faculty from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Some of the faculty are already active in nanoscience and have contributed to the development nanotechnology programs in Europe. The Institute is open to the participation of all scientists within Turkey through research and development projects. The goals of the Institute are not limited to research and development, but include the education and training of students in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

As of December 2007 the institute is operational in its new state-of-the-art building with 9000 m2 total indoor area. The institute has 62 laboratories and many user facilities including Nanoscale Imaging (TEM, SEM, AFM), Nanofabrication (FIB, E-BEAM), Specimen preparation (ultramicrotome, PIPS, PECS, polishing, cutting units, etc), NMR, Laser (Femtosecond, C02, He-Ne, etc), Nanobiotecnology (Confocaf), X-Ray, surface analysis, Optical characterization (Ellipsometers, FTIR, Microscopes, etc), and Thermal Characterization (DSC) facilities. In 2008, additional research equipment is being purchased and new facilities including a 400 m2 clean room are being planned. R&D efforts are on (he following areas: fibers, nanophotonics, nanoelectronics and spintronic devices, surface and surface related methods, nano-textiles, ultrafast lasers, ultrafast spectroscopy, nanomaterials, nanodetectors, nanostructured thin films and surface phenomena, and devices of nanometer scale. The expectation is that many of the technologies and know-how generated at this Institute can find industrial applications and be commercialized.