Executive Staff

MRS headquarters is committed to partnering with the Board of Directors and the operating committees as we fulfill the MRS mission for the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research to improve the quality of life. The headquarters staff is functionally organized into the departments shown below. Each department contains a professional staff that is dedicated to delivering the highest quality meetings, publications, communications and logistical services for the society.

Information on the entire MRS headquarters staff is available here.

Executive Director

Todd Osman

Todd M. Osman

Todd M. Osman, Executive Director of the Materials Research Society (MRS), received his PhD degree in materials science and engineering from Case Western Reserve University and is a former Chair of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives. Dr. Osman has founded a non-profit organization and a non-profit Foundation. He has served on advisory boards for federally funded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs; a commercialization R&D funding organization; and numerous research coordination coalitions. During his tenure, MRS has enhanced its focus on broadening participation in science and engineering; grown its awards, education, and student programs; and expanded its communications and events portfolio. Dr. Osman has over 11 years of industry experience, receiving peer and corporate recognition for his research, leading R&D laboratories, and coordinating cooperative R&D programs in North America, Europe and Asia. He has authored numerous articles and given invited talks on topics including commercial and social impact of materials, innovation, leadership, diversity and inclusion, product development, and fracture of materials.

Programs Department

Eileen M. Kiley, Director

Eileen M. Kiley, Director of Programs, joined MRS in 2000. Eileen oversees MRS’s meeting activities, journal and book publishing portfolio, news, web communications, marketing, and public relations. Eileen works closely with volunteers, headquarters staff, and partners, leading efforts to develop, expand and enhance these MRS programs. Before joining MRS, Eileen served as acquisitions editor at the University of Pittsburgh Press. She holds a BA degree in English as well as a Masters of Business Administration. Eileen is a member of the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) and has served in several volunteer roles, including two years as Annual Meeting Program Committee co-chair as well as a term on the Board of Directors. She is currently on the Kent State University National Alumni Board of Directors.

Finance and Administration Department

Mallory R. Starr, Director

Mallory R. Starr, Director of Finance and Administration, oversees the financial and administrative activities of the Society. Before joining MRS in 2018, Mallory spent 10 years with a regional public accounting firm, with a focus on audit and tax matters for nonprofit and governmental organizations. Mallory is a CPA and earned her BS degree from Pennsylvania West University (formerly Clarion University). She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where she currently sits on the Small Business Finance Leaders Committee. Mallory is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has served in several volunteer roles with local nonprofit community and leadership organizations.

Programs Department

Gopal R. Rao, Chief Editor for Technical Content

Gopal R. Rao, Chief Editor for Technical Content, joined MRS in 1997. Prior to MRS, he was a research faculty and a postdoctoral fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) where he explored ion beam implantation and irradiation effects in metals and polymers, and simulating neutron irradiation effects for materials in the spallation neutron source. At MRS, he has been involved in many online and electronic initiatives including developing the earliest science content for the fledgling MRS website, and initiating the Materials360and Meeting Scene e-newsletters. Since 2011, he has been Editor of MRS Bulletin, the Society’s flagship publication. He became Chief Editor for Technical Content in 2020, with a focus on developing technical content and integrating content across MRS programs. Gopal has a PhD degree in materials engineering from ORNL/Auburn University. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in scholarly journals, numerous research news articles and miscellaneous materials-related publications. He has also presented at several scientific conferences. In 2015, he received an outstanding materials engineering alumnus award from Auburn University. He was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2019.