Book excerpt: Materials science institutions have always been crucial to the development of materials research. Even before materials science emerged as a discipline in the 20th century, these institutions existed in various forms. They provided specialized facilities for research, educated new generations of researchers, drafted policies and funded programs, enabled valuable connections between research groups, or played any other role which were needed to further the progress of materials science.This volume, the third in a series of volumes covering the development and history of materials science, presents illuminating perspectives on material science institutions. Twenty chapters are organized into six comprehensive parts of which each cover a characteristic aspect or historical feature. True to the topic they write about, the contributors to this volume have varied backgrounds. Some are materials scientists and engineers, but others are historians, philosophers of science, sociologists, or even directors of institutions themselves. This comprehensive, unified collection is a valuable resource for undergraduates, graduate students, academics, policymakers and professionals who are actively interested in materials science and its development from the past to the future.