The Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center (MERC) is the central research organization within The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL). Its mission is to create breakthrough technologies and build world-class expertise for the benefits of JHUAPL and its sponsors. Leading-edge scientists and engineers in MERC carry out long term, mission-inspired research, convert research results into technology demonstrations, and work with other organizations at JHUAPL to transition these technologies to operational environments for national security and civilian space communities.

MERC staff members collaborate extensively with the academic divisions of The Johns Hopkins University, other universities, government laboratories, other research centers, and commercial vendors. Excellent facilities allow leading-edge research at all classification levels.

MERC is also the home for The Science and Technology Business Area (S&T BA) of JHUAPL. The S&T BA provides an external face to the S&T work at JHUAPL. Its internal R&D programs and externally sponsored S&T programs are executed by MERC and other departments at JHUAPL. The S&T BA works with other JHUAPL BAs to help transition new technologies to operational environments.