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The Department of Materials
Science and Engineering (MSE) has a fascinating history that goes back to 1902
when the School of Ceramics was founded to support the growing ceramics
industry in the state. The department provided critical technical support to
the U.S. Army during and after World War II, principally in the area of
electronic materials. The department expanded into technical engineered
ceramics under the leadership of Drs. John Koenig and Malcom G. McLaren in the
postwar period. A shift to all types of materials occurred in the 1995-2005
time frame as the department became MSE (officially named in 2007).
Materials engineers and scientists study the
synthesis, processing, and characterization of substances within these general
classes of materials: polymers, metals, semiconductors, ceramics, glass, and
composites. An understanding of the molecular structure and well-designed
processing are the keys to engineering materials with outstanding properties.
Novel materials are tailored to meet the needs of targeted applications and
become the foundation for all engineering disciplines. Such materials enable
many new technologies and are found in various forms in electronics, optics,
architecture, transportation, biomedicine, aviation and aerospace, pharmaceuticals,
energy generation, environmental engineering, and numerous other industrial
systems. Our graduates are in high demand by industry and are employed at
excellent salaries by prominent companies. Those going on to graduate school
are well prepared and are highly recruited by prestigious graduate schools
worldwide.
Students in the MSE curriculum study the
chemical and physical nature of materials at the macro, micro, and nano scales.
Early on, students will take courses in crystal chemistry and physics of
materials, followed by more focused study of phase equilibria and the
measurement of thermal, electrical, and optical properties. The later stages of
the curriculum emphasize the intricate but defining relationships between
structure, properties, and processing of engineering materials, with emphasis
on applications and materials design. In the junior and senior year,
undergraduates design their capstone course in preparation for graduate studies
or an industrial career in the materials industry in a diverse range of
categories that include research, development, marketing, process engineering,
and technical sales.
The MSE program encourages a student to select
an area of focus in one of the following areas: biomaterials, nanomaterials,
polymers, electronic and optical materials, and energy conversion and storage. This
concentration is accomplished via the selection of technical electives in the
targeted area and is determined in consultation with a faculty adviser. The MSE
faculty is highly regarded in many materials areas, such as biomaterials,
photovoltaics, glass, polymers, structural ceramics, composites, nanomaterials,
piezoelectric and ferroelectric ceramics, advanced thin-film engineered
materials, fiber optics, microelectronics, packaging materials, battery
materials, ceramic and metallic surfaces, and materials theory and
computational modeling. The department also maintains some of the most advanced
materials characterization facilities in the region.
The undergraduate curriculum leads to a bachelor
of science degree in materials science and engineering. The curriculum is
designed to allow the student exceptional flexibility in designing a program
that fits specific needs, interests, and goals. The curriculum is accredited by
the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Internship Programs
Students also may participate in a variety of
internship programs ranging from a student technician program to the co-op
internship. The co-op internship provides the student with the opportunity to
practice and/or apply knowledge and skills in various materials engineering
professional environments. This internship is intended to provide a real-world
experience to the student's undergraduate studies by integrating prior
coursework into a working engineering environment.
Educational Mission of the Department
The Mission of the Department of Materials
Science and Engineering is to provide qualified students with a relevant
education in Materials Science and Engineering preparing them for a productive
and rewarding career. While this mission is consistent with the overall mission
of the university and the School of Engineering, the department focuses on
providing an education that is both learning and practice oriented. With its
high faculty-to-student ratio, the department provides unique course options,
extensive laboratory experiences, along with research and co-op internships
that have adapted to the changing requirement of employers and graduate
schools. Through continuous feedback from students, alumni, and employers the department
maintains an up-to-date curriculum that emphasizes basic science, engineering,
and design. Moreover, the curriculum provides flexibility and diversity in
allowing students to select areas of concentration that are in the forefront of
technology today.
Educational Objectives
Within the scope of the MSE mission, the
objectives of the Materials Science and Engineering program are to produce
graduates with an education relevant to current science and engineering and an
education that will lead to a productive and rewarding career. Graduates of the
program are expected within a few years of graduation to have: used their
engineering skills, enhanced through the onset of lifelong learning, to apply
innovative solutions to assist in solving critical engineering problems to
provide economic, ethical, environmental, and societal value; worked individually
or with teams of professionals to provide innovative concepts and technologies
that address the scientific or engineering needs of academia, industry,
commerce, and society; and demonstrated a track record of professional
leadership characterized by scientific or engineering accomplishments and
productivity in one or more of the broad industries for which Materials Science
and Engineering is the enabling foundation.
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School of Engineering 
