The Texas Materials Institute at the University of Texas at Austin was established in 1998 to ensure that UT-Austin achieves excellence in graduate education and research in the broad field of materials. The role of TMI is to be a “virtual” department that guides the destiny of materials science and engineering on the UT campus without imposing the limitations or boundaries inherent to departmental structures.

TMI serves faculty and students on the UT-Austin campus as the Organized Research Unit for materials research and to provide the necessary infrastructure needed to conduct modern materials research. 

The Texas Materials Institute administers The Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program, which offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. TMI recruits graduate students for this program, ensures appropriate coursework is available to educate scientists and engineers in the fundamentals of the field, provides research opportunities for these graduate students, and handles all associated administrative needs.

TMI promotes interdisciplinary research in the area of materials at UT-Austin and to help coordinate all aspects of materials research and education among the participating departments. Examples include the Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology (CNM) and the Microelectronics Research Center (MRC). The faculty affiliated with TMI all have appointments in a home department in either the Cockrell School of Engineering or the College of Natural Sciences.