The Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) at Texas A&M University is a core user facility supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the College of Engineering/TEES and the College of Science. The MCF provides researchers in the TAMU community with access to high-end instrumentation essential for fundamental studies of the surface and interfacial properties of materials, such as ion and electron based spectroscopies, electron, optical and scanning probe microscopies. The MCF is staffed by research scientists with expertise in these areas, and they provide fundamental research training to students and faculty on our instrumentation as well as consolation of measurements needs and data interpretation. Beyond TAMU, the MCF also supports collaborative research projects with outside industrial users. Beyond research training, the facility also supports educational activities involving lab tours, workshops, hands on demonstrations, outreach and broader impact related activities through our open house and lunchtime seminar series.