Michael Bortner selected to join U.S. Defense Science Study Group
Bortner brings career expertise in advanced manufacturing and polymer-based materials with applications in aerospace and defense applications.
Chemical engineering Professor Mike Bortner has been chosen for the Defense Science Study Group, a highly selective program that brings together some of the nation’s most outstanding professors in science and engineering to apply their expertise to national security challenges and opportunities.
Bortner is one of 18 members nationwide selected for the 2027–28 class and is the first Virginia Tech faculty member selected for the group. Ella Atkins, the Fred D. Durham Chair in Engineering, and incoming College of Engineering Dean Warren Dixon have previously served with the group while working at other institutions.
“It's very rewarding that my work has been viewed as impactful enough to be selected for this distinctive honor,” said Bortner, who has spent his career tackling increasingly complex challenges through advanced manufacturing, polymer, and smart materials research.
A two-year opportunity
The university's longstanding relationships with federal agencies and its history of engagement with the defense community is another point of strength that positions faculty to address national challenges.
As a member of the new class of the Defense Science Study Group (DSSG), Bortner will participate in a series of study visits and discussions over the next two years alongside fellow researchers from across the nation. Group members interact with top-level officials from the White House, Congress, intelligence agencies, and various other government organizations. Additionally, participants are asked to write think pieces that tackle a national security issue of their choice, allowing them to use their areas of expertise to solve real-world problems.
“I’m excited to get to know this class and identify new opportunities to coordinate and collaborate,” Bortner said. “The opportunity to get in front of many of these agencies and their leadership, understand what their needs are, and think about how we can uniquely position ourselves to address those needs is going to be an amazing experience.”
Manufacturing solutions
Bortner's research focuses on advanced manufacturing processes and polymer-based materials with applications ranging from recyclable wind turbine blades and structural composites for transportation systems to advanced 3D printing technologies. He is also part of Virginia Tech Made: Center for Advanced Manufacturing and is the associate director of the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, often collaborating with faculty across the College of Engineering and beyond.
"Professor Bortner’s appointment to the Defense Science Study Group is a well-deserved recognition of both the excellence and the relevance of his research,” said Steven McKnight, vice president for strategic alliances at Virginia Tech. “DSSG is a highly selective program that connects leading science and engineering faculty with some of the nation’s most complex security challenges. His work in advanced manufacturing and next-generation materials is a great example of how fundamental research can move toward real-world solutions, and his selection underscores Virginia Tech’s growing role as a trusted partner at the intersection of academia, government, and national needs."
Bortner’s research team studies advanced materials for vehicles and aerospace applications, where performance requirements such as weight reduction, fire resistance, and durability are increasingly important. His group is also advancing 3D-printing technologies that can be used to create materials with specialized properties. Potential applications include ceramic protective materials, shielding technologies, and other systems with both commercial and defense relevance.
Bortner credits Virginia Tech's collaborative culture as a catalyst for creating opportunities that have accelerated his career.
“Virginia Tech is very open and supportive of interdisciplinary research,” he said. “I think that's something that is unique when compared to many other universities. I am not just working with top-notch faculty in engineering, but with researchers across colleges.”
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