Impact of Materials on Society (IMOS) - Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements are a class of materials that when alloyed or mixed with other elements can offer a range of fascinating property changes from fluorescence to increased magnetism. Many of the modern sustainable systems like windmills, electric vehicles and LED lighting rely on rare earth elements. However political challenges with where these materials are mined continue to be a concern for these critical materials.

This video is a content resource for the Impact of Materials on Society (IMOS) course, an introductory level undergraduate course about Materials Science and Engineering. It can be used independent of the IMOS course in K-12 education, informal science education and outreach as well.

The IMOS course was developed through a partnership with faculty at the University of Florida, the Materials Research Society and the Department of Defense. The IMOS course leads the way in building broader bridges between research in engineering, the humanities and social sciences. This approach creates successful technologies that address critical social issues in ways that respect human values and belief systems.

Video Production: Bruno White Entertainment, Orlando, FL http://brunowhite.com

Contact: [email protected] for more informative about the entire IMOS video series, the IMOS course and other instructional materials.