MDI 's team in the facilites in Evanston, Summer of 2023. Pictured L to R: Jared Rafferty, Abdulrahman Al-Rubkhi, Mary Doxas, Rick Weber, Stephen Wilke, Sophie Benmore.
Rick Weber, Founder & President
Rick Weber develops materials processing technologies and high value add materials with a focus on liquids, glasses, and non-equilibrium products. These materials include functional photonic and geological glasses, and organic materials. He has had commercial success with three small businesses as a founder or key staff member. He formed MDI in 2006. Prior to forming MDI, Weber directed the Glass Products Division (GPD) at Containerless Research, Inc. (CRI). This was commercialized in 2007 when the glass technology was sold. Weber also holds an Argonne Associate appointment at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory.
Materials Development, Inc (MDI) is a materials science and R&D engineering company founded in 2006 and based in Evanston, Illinois.
We focus on containerless processing, both in developing and improving sample environment as well as making and studying novel materials. We also specializes in solving complex problems in applied glass materials and extreme environment materials handling.
We are dedicated to helping its clients add value to materials-related technologies. Our skillbase includes glass materials synthesis, development, characterization, process design and analysis.
Stephen Wilke, Senior R&D Scientist
Stephen helps to lead experiments using containerless and high-temperature techniques to study structure-property-processing relationships in amorphous and glassy materials. These methods include X-ray and neutron scattering, thermophysical property measurements in microgravity, and molecular modeling. Prior to joining MDI in 2020, Stephen completed a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University. His past research has covered a wide range of materials including applications in energy conversion and storage, thermal management and high temperature redox processes.
Abdulrahman Al-Rubkhi, Research Assistant
Abdulrahman joined MDI in 2022 after completing a double bachelors degree in Physics and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He is helping to develop new glass and amorphous materials, developing samples for experiments at the Advanced Phtoton Source (APS) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), and analyzing data from MDI's ISS experiments. Abdulrahman also assists with mechanical design aspects of instruments.
Jared Rafferty, Controls Engineer
Jared joined MDI in 2019 after completing his bachelors degree in Physics at Loyola University. He is responsible for developing LabVIEW software and electronic hardware for advanced instruments. He is working on optimization of acoustic drive system for next generation levitation instruments. He is supporting experiments for research at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) and helping to analyze data from various projects. Jared is a qualified APS user.
Our team consists of material scientists, physicists, and engineers and frequently collaborates with scientists at Argonne National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab, and Brookhaven National Lab, among others.
Meet Our Team
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Meet Our Team
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About Materials Development Inc.
Pictured L to R: Stephen Wilke, Sarah Schlossberg, Vrishank Menon, Jared Rafferty, Mary Doxas, Rick Weber.
