The Mechanical Properties Research Laboratory (MPRL) is an interdisciplinary laboratory that supports education and research programs in structural materials. Its principal activities are directed toward the measurement and modeling of the mechanical properties of engineering materials, primarily related to deformation, fatigue, and fracture. Graduate students participating in the MPRL benefit from the association with students and faculty from other departments in the interdisciplinary setting. In its role as an interdisciplinary umbrella organization for experimental research in mechanical properties of materials, MPRL provides a degree of coordination of equipment usage, training, and maintenance with the College of Engineering.