College of EngineeringDepartment of Materials EngineeringResearch

Research

Auburn University Detection and Food Safety Center

Food safety is a national priority that affects every man, woman and child. As many as 48 million Americans become ill annually due to foodborne pathogens and toxins. AUDFS works to improve the safety of the U.S. food system by developing the science and engineering required to rapidly identify, pinpoint and characterize problems that arise in the food supply chain through the integration of sensor and information systems technology.

Center research is funded through several funding streams, including special university funding through the Peaks of Excellence program, federal agencies (including USDA, FDA and NSF), and food-related industries in the form of sponsored projects and industrial participation.

AUDFS efforts to increase food safety and detection are focused primarily on biomolecular recognition and detection devices. Some of the many technologies AUDFS is researching include RNA-based biosensors for pathogen detection, air sampling for E. coli detection on spinach leaves, and chemical sensing strategies based on molecularly imprinted polymers.

Materials Research and Education Center

The Materials Research and Education Center (MREC), established in 1993, consistently attracts national and international materials-related research projects. Confidence in the Auburn University MREC’s research capabilities and expertise among faculty members keep the program on the cutting edge of research in many areas. Projects range in variety based on project sponsor and purpose. The center attracts and oversees more than $3 million in annual projects. The projects utilize the expertise among the materials engineering faculty, and when appropriate, the knowledge and experience available in various other Auburn University departments and colleges.

Current research areas through MREC include Adaptive Materials, High-Temperature Materials, Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites, and the Processing and Fabrication of Materials.