Material Science and Engineering Overview

Since the beginnings of civilization, technological progress has always relied on the materials that people were able to acquire from nature or through trade or by innovation. Wood, stone, bronze, iron, steel, aluminum, cements, plastics, semiconductors, liquid crystals, nanomaterials and quantum dots all have unique properties that enable—but also limit—what humans can make and do.  Nations continue to go to war over access to particular raw materials. The construction of safe dwellings, the conveniences of rapid travel, the efficiency of telecommunications, the calculating and archiving power of computers, the life-prolonging gift of surgical implants and the dazzling performances of athletes all require dependable materials. Future technological progress of any kind will always be driven by the available materials.

Areas of Research in Material S & E                             Careers

Material Science and Engineering Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, our graduates demonstrate: Ability to apply advanced science (such as chemistry and physics) and engineering principles to materials systems; Integrated understanding of the scientific and engineering principles that underlie the four major elements of the field:  structure, properties, processing, and performance related to materials systems appropriate to the field; Ability to apply and integrate knowledge from each of the above four elements of the field to solve materials selection and design problems; Ability to utilize experimental, statistical and computational methods in the context of material systems;

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