Throughout its history the Particle Engineering Research Center (PERC) has been a role model for innovation and excellence in research, education, industrial collaborations and interdisciplinary efforts. PERC aspires to maintain this leadership by expanding our efforts in these areas and enhancing the Center's activities in translational research and technology transfer. Towards this end, PERC has recently completed a self-assessment and developed a re-structuring plan to continue successful programs, stimulate new pioneering initiatives, and develop an expanded resource base to carry out its mission – "to better serve society through education, innovation and advancement of particle science and technology."
PERC was launched in 1994 as an 11 year Engineering Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation. From its inception PERC has served as a unique catalyst for synergistic interdisciplinary collaborations that have led to over $50M invested in cutting edge research, the education of more than 800 students, fruitful collaborations with over 100 companies, and the successful transfer of more than 10 particle based technologies. Through these efforts, PERC has garnered international recognition as a world leader in particle science & technology. PERC has recruited a talented and dedicated cadre of young professional research staff, since its graduation from NSF funding in 2005.
With fifteen years of experience in the research, development and facilitating commercialization of particulate based systems, PERC has become a leader in the field of particle science and technology and it is now looking forward to an exciting future. PERC has created a strategic plan that capitalizes on its strengths, addresses its weaknesses, and allows the Center to grow while pursuing its mission to "Innovate and transform particle science and technology advances into useful applications for sustained societal well-being."