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Penn State's Materials Research Institute (MRI) is a catalyst for multidisciplinary education and innovations in materials. With their capabilities in electronic materials and devices, functional polymers and nanoscience, Penn State is uniquely positioned to apply their materials research to critical challenges of the future in healthcare. It is their vision to apply both the depth and breadth of their collective expertise to engage in research without boundaries, and thereby to create a new generation of highly qualified graduates who can both communicate and innovate in a converging technological world.

Learn more .

Centers and Institutes

The Penn State Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) is an internationally distinguished department that is recognized for its globally competitive excellence in engineering and scientific accomplishments, research, and educational leadership.

Our Engineering Science program is the official undergraduate honors program of the College of Engineering, attracting the University’s brightest engineering students. We also offer graduate degrees in ESM, engineering mechanics, engineering at the nano-scale, and an integrated undergraduate/graduate program.

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Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics

212 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-4523

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Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Research and Impact

Inventing tomorrow's materials today, our material world.

Integrated circuit chip technology that will transcend silicon’s limitations

Published Research

Reconfigurable all-dielectric metalens with diffraction-limited performance, what we did.

Proved that you don’t need mechanical movement to change the focus of a lens. Instead, a transparent “metalens” changes the way it interacts with infrared light when it undergoes heat-based phase transformation. To see objects far and near, one would simply heat the material using microheaters.

Why we did it

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IMSE leverages the full potential of interdisciplinary materials research by bringing together researchers from engineering; physics; chemistry; earth, environmental, and planetary sciences; and the medical school. 

IMSE research

IMSE researchers develop and apply advanced materials to address challenges in clean energy, medicine and environmental sustainability.

IMSE facilities 

IMSE currently has approximately 12,000 net ft 2  of facility space which includes a nanofabrication facility and a materials characterization facility. It is supported by a dedicated team of professional technical and administrative staff.

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Materials Science & Engineering is the interdisciplinary field focused on the development and application of new materials with desirable properties and microstructures. Disciplines in the physical sciences and engineering fields frequently play a central role in developing the fundamental knowledge that is needed for materials studies. The discipline of Materials Science & Engineering integrates this knowledge and uses it to design and develop new materials and to mate these with appropriate technological needs.

IMSE facilities

The majority of the IMSE user facilities are located in the basement of Scott Rudolph Hall (Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences), including a 12,000 net square foot facility opened in Fall 2013, which includes a nanofabrication facility and a materials characterization facility. These facilities are available for use by researchers both inside and outside the university. Please email the relevant point of contact regarding user fees, training and scheduling.

More information

Graduate program

The IMSE offers an interdisciplinary PhD program in Materials Science and Engineering designed to allow students to easily work across departmental boundaries. Student apply directly through the McKelvey School of Engineering, pursue coursework offered by several of the member departments and conduct their thesis research with the mentorship of interdisciplinary faculty teams. This allows our students to take advantage of the rich breadth of materials science expertise and facilities across the university.

WashU Materials Research in the News

The Plastics Problem

McKelvey engineers tackle one of the biggest environmental issues of our time.

Imaging technique shows new details of peptide structures

A new imaging technique developed by engineers at Washington University in St. Louis can give scientists a much closer look at fibril assemblies, stacks of peptides like amyloid beta, most notably associated with Alzheimer’s disease. These results stem from a fruitful collaboration between lead author Matthew Lew, associate professor in the Preston M. Green Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, and Jai Rudra, associate professor of biomedical engineering, in WashU's McKelvey School of Engineering.

Smart nanoparticles may be able to deliver drugs to heart after heart attack

With a four-year $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Jianjun Guan and his team plan to enclose a set of proteins designed to curb inflammation and a peptide to prevent fibrosis inside cleverly disguised drug-delivering smart nanoparticles. These nanoparticles would be delivered intravenously into the blood, which would take them directly to the heart.

Novel material supercharges innovation in electrostatic energy storage

In a study published April 18 in Science, Sang-Hoon Bae, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials science in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis and his collaborators, including Rohan Mishra, associate professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, and Chuan Wang, associate professor of electrical & systems engineering, both at WashU, and Frances Ross, the TDK Professor in Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, introduced an approach to control the relaxation time – an internal material property that describes how long it takes for charge to dissipate or decay – of ferroelectric capacitors using 2D materials.

Flores named ASM Fellow

Katharine M. Flores, the Christopher I. Byrnes Professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, has been elected a Fellow of ASM (American Society for Metals) International for her contributions to the field of materials science and engineering. She will be inducted at the International Materials Applications and Technologies Conference and Exhibition (IMAT) conference in October 2023.

Chakrabarty to study vertical distribution of aerosol properties

Rajan Chakrabarty, the Harold D. Jolley Career Development Associate Professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, is one of 13 scientists who recently received funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Facilities Integrating Collaborations for User Science (FICUS) program.

Flawed diamonds: Physicists gain quantum insights from imperfect crystals

Diamonds are often prized for their flawless shine, but Chong Zu, assistant professor of physics, sees a deeper value in these natural crystals. As reported in Physical Review Letters — one of the most prestigious journals in the field of physics — Zu and his team have taken a major step forward in a quest to turn diamonds into a quantum simulator.

Engineering team receives $3.6M to combat plastic waste

Plastics transformed engineering in the past century, but they also transformed the environment in ways that will take millennia to repair. Washington University in St. Louis is leading a new effort to address the grand challenge of developing the next generation of high-performance, sustainably sourced and biodegradable plastics that advance engineering while also protecting the environment.

Diao named to ‘AACYF Top 30 under 30’ list

Alumnus Yifan Diao was selected by the All-American Chinese Youth Federation for their 2023 “AACYF Top 30 under 30” list

Katherine Flores IMSE Director Christopher I. Byrnes Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

New metallic glass research brings in artificial intelligence

Erik Henriksen Associate Director of IMSE facilities Associate Professor of Physics, Department of Physics

Henriksen lands CAREER grant to chase electron effects

Lan Yang Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner Professor, Electrical & Systems Engineering

Yang named 2020 AAAS fellow

Faculty spotlight

IMSE brings together more than 50 faculty and student researchers from engineering, the physical and natural sciences and the medical school to discover new materials, understand how they behave and envision innovative applications.

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Clive Randall

• Piezoelectric Materials
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• Solid State Batteries

Clive A. Randall is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Director of Materials Research Institute at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. He was Director for the Center for Dielectric Studies between 1997 and 2013, and in 2013 formed a new Center as Co-Director, the Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics, for which he still serves as Technical Advisor.

Prof. Randall received a B.Sc. with Honors in Physics in 1983 from the University of East Anglia, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Physics from the University of Essex in 1987, both in the United Kingdom. He has authored/co-authored over 470 technical papers, with over 30,000 citations and an h-factor of 93. He also holds 26 patentsin the field of electroceramics.

Prof. Randall’s research interests are in the area of discovery and compositional design of functional materials for electrical energy transduction and storage, defect chemistry and crystal chemistry and their impact on phase transition behavior, electromechanical devices based upon electrostriction and piezoelectrics, supercapacitors, thermoelectrics, and microwave materials. He has used a variety of different processing and characterization methods that have impacted manufacturing and development processes for materials, particularly in the electronics and ceramics industry. His research group has been supported from a number of different sources, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, the U.S.-Israel Binational Scientific Foundation, NASA, and substantial funding from the private sector.

Professor Randall was honored with the American Ceramic Society Fulrath Award in 2002; the Wilson Research Award from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State University, in 2003; he spent one year (2004–2005) as a Visiting Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, U.K.; he was elected Academician of the World Academy of Ceramics in 2006; in 2007, he and his colleagues received the R&D 100 Award for their Integrated Fiber Alignment Package (IFAP); he received the Spriggs Phase Equilibria Award in 2008; in 2009, he received the University Scholar Award (Engineering) from Penn State University; he received the Japanese FMA International Award; he gave the Friedberg Lecture at the American Ceramic Society, both in 2011; in 2013, he received, along with his student, the Edward C. Henry Best Paper of the Year from the American Ceramics Society Electronics Division; he received the IEEE UFFC-S Ferroelectrics Recognition Award (2014); he received the Electroceramic Bridge Building Award at the 17th US-Japan Seminar on Dielectric and Piezoelectric Ceramics (2015), and he was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2022). He is a Fellow of American Ceramic Society, Fellow of IEEE and the IEEE Ferroelectrics Committee, and an honorary Fellow of the European Ceramic Society.

This faculty member is associated with the Penn State Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) where a multitude of perspectives and cross-disciplinary collaboration within research is highly valued. Graduate students in the IGDP in MatSE may work with faculty members from across Penn State. 

Professor Randall utilizes a combination of the material science approaches of structural-property-process-performance relations and coupling these with material physics to understand, design, and manufacture future generation electroceramic materials and devices. Specific materials the group is studying are ferroelectric and related materials, microwave, electrochemical, semiconducting, and piezoelectric materials in a variety of different forms, ranging from crystal structure, composition, particle and grain size, bulk, film and composites are considered.

His philosophy is to use extreme application needs to direct a fundamental study to enable material advances to be made and implemented. These extreme performance parameters include a combination of temperature, electric field strength, frequency- time and size reduction. Under these conditions, we are concerned with basic mechanisms that control the degradation under all times of use. These time dependent failure mechanisms may be controlled through important physical processes such as electron injection at an electrode or grain boundary, oxygen vacancy migration, defect dipole rotations, thermochemical and electrochemical reactions at interfaces. Any of these or similar phenomena are built into a material through the fabrication thermal processes and remain in a metastable state, but ultimately these defects drive the degradation mechanisms and thereby prevent the implementation of new materials into a system. Once understanding the sources and failure processes, our group develops methods through process modifications or design new materials or chemistries to suppress these deleterious effects. These methods have all been adopted by the capacitor industry as a quality control and fast screening technique for high performance dielectrics.

Professor Randall and his group are also very conscious of societal needs for energy and environment. This is also reflected in our research in capacitors, thermoelectrics, semiconductor devices, and energy storage devices, including lithium and sodium solid-state batteries. Furthermore, we are investigating novel processing techniques to substantially reduce the energy required for fabricating ceramics and ceramic-polymer composites. They have recently introduced a new technique, which we have termed Cold Sintering Process, enabling the densification of many materials at temperatures between 100°C and 300°C. These temperatures enable co-sintering of ceramic materials with thermoplastic materials to develop unique composites and new functionalities. Processing at these temperatures enables all aspects of material families to be integrated to a common platform in the form of new types of nanocomposites and/or devices.

Technology Impacted By Research:

Many of the major manufacturers of multilayer ceramic capacitors use fast firing approaches to control the production of the most advanced devices. The early work for this came from Randall’s efforts in the Center for Dielectric Studies. Further impact has been in the form of developing measurement techniques that have now been introduced as quality control methods for the production and screening of highly reliable capacitive devices. New compositions, materials, and dopant strategies have also been implemented into a number of electroceramic materials based on work from Randall’s group. All the major manufacturers of these components come to Penn State to work on these problems. Now, new companies are coming to see the benefits of cold sintering materials.

Fun video: Printing of the Harvard MRSEC logo in 3D two-color wax and two-color silicone.

Liquid crystal elastomer lattices with thermally programmable deformation via multi-material 3D printing

Programmable metafluids via capsule buckling

Dislocation interactions during plastic relaxation of colloidal crystals

Filled elastomers with enhanced fatigue resistance

Soft bioelectronics for in vivo neural probes

Strengthening research collaborations and student pathways with Navajo Technical University

Making soft matter accessible: Teacher workshops on science and cooking

Leadership in science, engineering, and innovation

Community building in soft matter

Upcoming Seminars and Workshops

Other Conferences/Workshops of Interest

We provide the materials needed for unimpeded progress in a wide range of technologies.

Research & ideas.

Research the infinitesimally small to achieve breakthroughs of global significance.

2024 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards

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Sitting idle boosts the performance of lithium metal batteries for next-generation EVs

• Electronic, Magnetic & Photonic Materials

New drug delivery system could reduce daily diabetes shots to just three a year

• Biomaterials and Bio-interfaces

William D. Nix Lecture video - February 5, 2024

The MSE Experience | Stories & Voices

Learn more about Stanford Materials Science and Engineering from our community.

“ I cannot think of a place that is better in this world for my research than Stanford. ... ”

“ Engineering is my priority but I’m happy I have other things in my life. ... ”

“ When I was a kid, I went to my older brother’s Lego League practices all the time. That’s really wher ... ”

Materials Science and Engineering | Academics & Admissions

Our faculty and students research the infinitesimally small to achieve breakthroughs of global significance.

Why Stanford MSE?

Stanford’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) focuses on the structures and properties of nanoscale components. This exciting area of engineering informs the direction of the curriculum.

MSE Latest News & Updates

Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) faculty and student research spans from the infinitesimally small to the macroscopic scale to achieve breakthroughs of global significance. Explore more exciting news here.

Stanford Academic Calendar, 2022-23

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, academic dates and deadlines published here may differ from the practices of previous year and they are subject to change. 

Welcome from the Chair

It is one of our top goals to continue to attract the best and brightest students from the U.S. and around the world. We feel that the mixture of a core curriculum in materials science and engineering fundamentals and leading-edge independent research is exceptional preparation for future scientists and engineers.

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University of Missouri

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MU Materials Science & Engineering Institute

Discover new possibilities.

Researchers in the MU Materials Science & Engineering Institute (MUMSEI) develop new and improved materials with specific properties that can advance solutions around sustainability, energy storage, precision health care and more. We foster collaboration in existing and new areas such as biomaterials, energy, materials, quantum materials and materials-at-extremes. We welcome researchers from across campus and our community to join us to discover new possibilities.

Our facilities are open to researchers and industry professionals. Reserve our microfabrication equipment, including the atomic layer deposition system, electron microscope, thin film and other characterization equipment. Materials Fabrication equipment is available in a 1,000-square-foot, Class 100 Clean Room. Mechanical, electrical, thermal and structural materials characterization equipment is available in an adjacent 2,000-square-foot facility.

Featured News

Mizzou Engineering Secures Nanoscribe Quantum X Shape 3D Printer

Researchers at Mizzou have spent eight years trying to figure out a way to fabricate a complex microfluidic filter that would allow doctors to efficiently recover cancer cells from patients blood without damaging the cells. Now, they can easily make a prototype, thanks to a new Nanoscribe Quantum X Shape high-resolution 3D printer at Mizzou Engineering.

NSF Research Traineeship Program to Prepare Materials and Data Scientists

A five-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is establishing a doctoral training program at the University of Missouri to help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers to work in the emerging fields of materials science and data science and analytics.

Guan Bian Selected as a Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator

Guang Bian, associate professor of physics and astronomy, has been selected as a 2023 Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator.

Faculty across the MU campus and industry professionals can use our facilities. MUMSEI co-directors are Matt Maschmann, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Tommy Sewell, professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Science and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Join our Team

Explore post-doctoral opportunities with MUMSEI

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In This Section

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State is an international leader in materials education and research. As a top-ranked program, the department thrives on a rich collaboration between faculty, staff, students, and researchers to promote a well-rounded academic experience and innovative research opportunities. Our department offers ABET accredited degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  View the information below to learn more.

Visit the Department of Materials Science and Engineering to learn more.

Penn State is the largest Materials Research Institution in the United States. Its faculty and research centers are world renowned for contributing breakthrough research in their respective fields. Anchored by the renovation of its state-of-the-art Steidle Building, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering includes laboratories devoted to computational research, material processing, and characterization, in addition to outstanding spaces for meetings, group work and information interactions. 

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• B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering

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The history of materials research at Penn State is long and accomplished. In 1907 the Department of Engineering Mechanics and Materials of Construction (now called Engineering Science and Mechanics) was established beginning Penn State's foray into materials research. Since the establishment of the Metallurgy program in 1908, and the Ceramic Science program in 1923, Penn State has been a pioneer among American universities in materials research.

Many of the research projects are interdisciplinary in character and are carried out as part of the Intercollege Research Program, which was established in 1960. In 1959 Penn State's Solid State Technology graduate program (now called Materials Science) was founded. The success of these programs triggered the formation of the PSU Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) in 1962.

To encourage communication and the exchange of technical information across the various fields of science affecting materials research, the international Materials Research Society (MRS) was founded at Penn State in 1962. Penn State is also part of an international educational and research partnership, the World University Network (WUN), which was launched in April 2003 by a group of research institutions of international standing to further international exchange.

In 1992 the Materials Research Institute (MRI) was created. In 2001, the Materials Research Laboratory was absorbed into MRI. MRI provides leadership both at Penn State and in the materials community worldwide, coordinating a multitude of materials-related activities, encouraging researchers to share equipment and facilities, and fostering collegial exchange of knowledge and expertise. The high concentration of faculty and experts at the university has facilitated the formation of cohesive teams to meet specific materials research goals. The ultimate goal is the creation of new knowledge and the transfer of materials technology to industry and government.

Today, teams of MRI faculty combine their expertise in materials science, chemistry, biology, and engineering, along with theoretical physics and advanced computation, to understand and control the properties of matter. The trend toward smaller, less expensive, and more portable devices for the military, medicine, industry, and consumers is driving the search for components that can perform critical functions at these scales. Devices that were only conceivable in science fiction until recently are now sought-after research goals. Nanoscale science and technology have opened a new toolbox for these endeavors, and the Penn State materials community is an innovator and user of these tools.

The Pioneers Of Materials

Materials at Penn State Historical Poster Project launched in 2017 – The field of materials research is woven from many strands – metallurgy, ceramics, polymer science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, geosciences, the list goes on. The Materials at Penn State Historical Poster Project intends to capture significant people and events related to the illustrious history of materials discovery at this university. The metal-print posters in the ongoing series are on display in the second floor North Wing of the Millennium Science Complex.

Visit the online gallery >>

Our Locations

• address The Materials Research Institute Millennium Science Complex Pollock Road University Park, PA 16802

The 2DCC-MIP is funded by NSF cooperative agreement DMR-2039351.

MRI is not responsible for the content of external sites. Registration may be required for some sites.

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A New Revolutionary Microelectronic Device

Now in Nature! Read full story here

2023 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award

Read full story here

2024 IEEE Fellow

Click to find out more about Dr Yao Kui

World's Top 2% Scientists

Find out who are the IMRE Scientists that made it into the list!

Next ASEAN Innovator

Click to find out more about the winner of the 5th ASEAN-ROK Award for Excellence in STI 2023

Asia Pacific's Top Innovators under 35

Click to find out more about Dr Yang Le

Research Attachment with IMRE

A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP) is Open for Registration! Click here for more.

A*STAR SCIENTIST ELECTED 2023 OPTICA FELLOW

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Asia's Changemakers

Read about IMRE ED's mission on "Science made in Singapore"

INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING (IMRE)

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), is a research institute of the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Established in September 1997, IMRE has built strong capabilities in the areas of polymeric & organic materials, composite & structural materials, advanced materials characterisation & fabrication, optics and electronics. IMRE is an institute of talented researchers equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to conduct world-class materials science research to improve lives and capture economic value for Singapore.

IMRE develops core competence and interdisciplinary teams in critical technology areas, enable fundamental new discoveries and develop advanced materials that lead to new commercial products.

Through partnering international organisations, research institutes and industry in a synergistic, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to materials research, IMRE further fulfils its vision to be the leading research institute for materials science and engineering.

Introducing the Polymer Matrix Composites Programme (PMCP) at A*STAR

Singapore Scientists Develop Revolutionary Microelectronic Device Which Uses 1,000 Times Less Power than Commercial Memory Technologies

Nandina REM and A*STAR announce aviation circularity milestone with high-quality carbon fibre materials reclaimed from end-of-life aircrafts

IMRE Scientist Honoured with Prestigious 2023 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award

A*STAR Scientist Awarded Prestigious IEEE Fellow Recognition

Upcoming Events

[imre seminar] design of functional materials: basic physics, density functional theory and material performance by prof david singh.

Fusionopolis Two, Kinesis Tower, Level 7, Seminar Room 3

Monday, 13 May 2024

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a talk by Prof David Singh of the University of Missouri, USA.

IMRE Scientific Conference 2024

Fusionopolis Two, Innovis, Level 1, Multi Purpose Hall

Monday, 20 May 2024

Save the date!

Thursday, 11 April 2024

[imre seminar] materials degradation under corrosion and radiation: from alloy design to first-principles by associate prof adrien couet.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a talk by Associate Prof Adrien Couet from the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.

Monday, 15 April 2024

[imre seminar] take it to the limit: a story of piezoelectric materials and devices for extreme conditions by prof andrew bell.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a talk by Prof Andrew Bell of the University of Leeds, UK.

Thursday, 04 April 2024

[nqff lecture series] silicon mos qubits by dr lim wee han of diraq.

The National Quantum Fabless Foundry (NQFF) invites you to an upcoming NQFF Lecture with guest speaker Dr Lim Wee Han from Diraq.

Dr Lim will discuss on "Silicon MOS Qubits". Take advantage of this chance to get a glimpse of the latest developments in this field and network with like-minded peers. 

Thursday, 07 March 2024

[imre seminar] "fusion relevant pulsed high-energy-density pinch plasma research at nie/ntu: from device development to novel diagnostics to applications" by prof prof rajdeep singh rawat.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a talk on "Fusion Relevant Pulsed High-Energy-Density Pinch Plasma Research at NIE/NTU: From Device Development to Novel Diagnostics to Applications" by Prof Rajdeep Singh Rawat from National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University.

Wednesday, 28 February 2024

[imre seminar] "21st century alchemy: making copper look like a noble metal" by prof mark e. thompson.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a talk on "21st Century Alchemy: Making Copper Look Like a Noble Metal" by Prof Mark E. Thompson from the University of Southern California, USA 

Tuesday, 07 November 2023

Imre seminar - sims for semiconductors.

Join us for an exclusive seminar on SIMS for Semiconductors in Singapore!Visit our website for more information!

Monday, 27 November 2023

[the future of microscopy] studying electrocatalysts with operando electrochemical cell transmission electron microscopy.

Join us at this Hybrid seminar!Studying Electrocatalysts with Operando Electrochemical Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy by Dr See Wee Chee of the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) of the Max Planck Society.

Visit the Future of Microscopy webpage for more information.

Friday, 04 August 2023

[imre seminar] "scalable fusion power within our grasp - how did we get here, and what's different" by prof michael short.

Join us at this upcoming IMRE Seminar by Prof Michael Short from MIT. Prof Short will be sharing on “𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗽 - 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗪𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁?” The seminar is co-organised by the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and the IEEE Singapore Section NPSS Chapter.

Tuesday, 04 April 2023

Nqff lecture series: quantum technology hardware| scalable trapped-ion quantum control in structured light fields by assistant prof. karan mehta.

Assistant Professor Karan Mehta from Cornell University, Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) will discuss on "Scalable Trapped-Ion Quantum Control in Structured Light Fields." Take advantage of this chance to get a glimpse of the latest developments in this field and network with like-minded peers. Register now to secure your seat at the seminar!

Thursday, 06 April 2023

[the future of microscopy] seeing materials more clearly with 4d stem and ptychography by prof timothy pennycook.

Title: Seeing Materials More Clearly with 4D STEM and Ptychography by Prof Timothy Pennycook of the University of Antwerp, Belgian. Please visit our website for more information.

Tuesday, 07 March 2023

Exploring the quantum frontier: science & technology.

The symposium will feature speeches from experts in the field, latest reports from A*STAR quantum projects, as well as panel discussions on a wide range of topics on quantum technologies.

Friday, 04 November 2022

Atom probe tomography seminar.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to a seminar by Dr. Peter Clifton, Atom Probe Tomography (APT) Sales Leader at Cameca Instruments Inc. Register Here: https://form.gov.sg/#!/6357a9858fe1f40012466ae5

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

Next generation materials scientists - prof. john f. hartwig and dr. jason lim.

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) invites you to attend a webinar by Prof. John Hartwig of University of California, Berkeley and Dr. Jason Lim from IMRE on polymer and plastics upcycling. Prof. John Hartwig will be sharing “Polymer Upcycling by C-H Bond Functionalization”, and Dr. Jason Lim will discuss the “Upcycling Waste Plastics into Functional Materials”.

Thursday, 08 September 2022

Imre 25th anniversary – celebrating 25 years of materials innovation.

To celebrate this important milestone and commemorate a quarter century of cutting-edge research and scientific discovery, our team has organised 2 key events, happening on 8 Sep 2022:

IMRE 25th Anniversary Scientific Conference (Thank you for the strong support – registration is now closed)IMRE 25th Anniversary Anniversary Dinner (For invited guests only)

Thursday, 04 August 2022

Crystallisation control for halide perovskites and their applications in optoelectronics.

Venue: ZOOMDate: Thursday, August 4, 2022 Time: 10:00 - 12:00 GMT+8Guest Speaker: Dr. Mao WenxinZoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/95257700211?pwd=V2ErZzVuWkJ4cVVFc1lmUU84R205dz09

Thursday, 28 July 2022

Virtual workshop on spin orbit torque (sot) materials and devices.

Venue: ZOOMDate: Thursday, July 28, 2022 Time: 09:00 - 16:00 GMT+8Organisers: Sze Ter Lim (IMRE), Hyunsoo Yang (NUS), S.N. Piramanayagam (NTU)Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r8PwJkZORTmwJNaFCX9klQ

Friday, 01 July 2022

Next generation materials scientists - associate prof. son jae sung.

Tune in to hear about 3D Printing of Inorganic Thermoelectric Materials and Devices from Associate Prof. Son Jae Sung from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea. 

Monday, 25 April 2022

Next generation materials scientists - prof. peng zhou and dr. wu jing.

Prof. Peng Zhou will be sharing on "The Road for 2D Semiconductor in Silicon Age"Dr. Wu Jing will discuss "Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport in 2D Materials"

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A*star celebrates international women's day.

From groundbreaking discoveries to cutting-edge research, our researchers are empowering the next generation of female science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) leaders. Get inspired by our #WomeninSTEM

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Organization profile

Centers and facilities.

• 2D Crystal Consortium
• Bulk Growth Facility
• CEL Core Endocrinology
• Materials Characterization Lab
• Materials Computation Center
• Nanofabrication Laboratory
• Theory/Simulation Facility

Penn State’s investment in its interdisciplinary research institutes, including the Materials Research Institute (MRI), has created a culture of strong collaborations across disciplines. At Penn State, many researchers have the support of both their academic departments and the university-wide institutes, such as MRI. By encouraging crosscutting research, MRI and its sister institutes open up traditional silos of knowledge to the stimulus of other viewpoints and new ideas. This mingling of disciplines, often called “convergence,” brings together the physical and life sciences with engineering and computation to solve the most complex problems facing society today and in the future.

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• Temperature Engineering & Materials Science 100%
• Polymers Engineering & Materials Science 90%
• Thin films Engineering & Materials Science 82%
• Ferroelectric materials Engineering & Materials Science 67%
• Simulation Chemical Compounds 64%
• Surface Chemical Compounds 61%
• Composite materials Engineering & Materials Science 58%
• Metals Engineering & Materials Science 57%

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Dive into details.

Select a country/territory to view shared publications and projects

James Hansell Adair, PhD

• Materials Science and Engineering - Professor
• Department of Pharmacology - Professor
• Penn State Cancer Institute
• Cancer Institute, Next-Generation Therapies

Person: Academic

Kofi W. Adu

• Division of Mathematics & Natural Sciences (Altoona) - Professor of Physics

Betul Akgun

• Materials Research Institute (MRI) - Assistant Research Professor

Reka Z. Albert, PhD

• Physics - Distinguished Professor
• Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS)
• Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
• Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics

• Materials Science and Engineering - Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

Julie Anderson

• Materials Characterization Lab - Research Technologist

John B. Asbury

• Chemistry - Professor

Osama O. Awadelkarim

• Engineering Science and Mechanics - Professor

William P. Bahnfleth

• Architectural Engineering - Professor

Rose Marie Baker

• Materials Research Institute (MRI) - Research Assistant

Research output

• 1798883 Citations
• 452 h-index
• 25240 Article
• 4919 Conference contribution
• 1901 Conference article
• 857 Review article
• 514 Chapter
• 436 Comment/debate
• 426 Editorial
• 54 Short survey
• 40 Foreword/postscript
• 2 Other chapter contribution

Research output per year

(K 0.5 Bi 0.5 )(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -modified Sr 0.7 Bi 0.2 TiO 3 lead-free ceramics for energy storage applications

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3D Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in Magnetic Topological Insulator Trilayers of Hundred-Nanometer Thickness

A 2d cryptographic hash function incorporating homomorphic encryption for secure digital signatures, a butterfly-inspired multisensory neuromorphic platform for integration of visual and chemical cues, a combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics approach for simulating the optical properties of dna-stabilized silver nanoclusters, a comprehensive review on 3d tissue models: biofabrication technologies and preclinical applications.

Research output : Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

ACS Nanoscience Au in 2024: Looking Back and Gazing Forward

Research output : Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review

Additively manufactured Ni-20Cr to V functionally graded material: Computational predictions and experimental verification of phase formations

Adsorption of co 2 by amine-functionalized metal-organic frameworks using gcmc and reaxff-based metadynamics simulations, air-stable, large-area 2d metals and semiconductors, chalcogenide mocvd (mocvd 1).

Equipment/facility : Equipment

• metalorganic chemical vapor deposition 100%
• chalcogenides 63%
• cold walls 58%
• gas analysis 56%

Chalcogenide MOCVD System with In situ Optical Characterization (MOCVD 2)

• chalcogenides 79%
• characterization 43%
• chambers 41%
• spectroscopic analysis 32%

Hybrid MBE (MBE 1)

• molecular beams 100%
• chalcogenides 98%
• ellipsometers 37%
• reactors 29%
• ionization gages 28%

MRI-2DCC MIP-Chemical Vapor Transport (CVT)

• furnaces 100%
• ampoules 98%
• cavities 45%

MRI-2DCC MIP-Compounding Furnace

• compounding 63%
• ampoules 42%
• crystal growth 14%

MRI-2DCC MIP-Vertical Bridgman

• ampoules 100%
• furnaces 45%
• cavities 15%
• temperature 14%

MRI-2D CRYSTAL-Thin Films Facility

Equipment/facility : Facility

• thin films 100%
• chalcogenides 49%
• epitaxy 48%
• metalorganic chemical vapor deposition 46%
• molecular beam epitaxy 41%

MRI-MCL-FEI Talos F200X

• phase contrast 100%
• electric fields 52%
• high speed cameras 51%
• in situ measurement 50%
• spectroscopy 46%

MRI-MCL-FEI Tecnai G20 20 XTWIN

• sampling 100%

MRI-MCL-Helium Pycnometer

• helium 100%
• pycnometers 64%
• powders 59%
• sampling 54%
• metallurgy 48%
• 998 Finished

Projects per year

Multi-Scale Experimental and Computational Investigation of Microscale Origins of Ductile Failure

Beese, A. M. & Pagan, D.

National Science Foundation

5/1/24 → 4/30/27

Project : Research project

• microstructure 76%
• student 56%
• fracture initiation 45%
• environmental footprint 45%

CAREER: Orbital-based Descriptors for Dynamical Properties of Quantum Defects

4/1/24 → 3/31/29

• Physics 100%
• Defects 94%
• Students 68%
• Density functional theory 51%
• Excited states 38%

Illuminating patterns and processes of water quality in U.S. rivers using physics-guided deep learning

3/15/24 → 2/28/27

• water quality 100%
• project 39%
• learning 37%
• environmental investment 24%
• pollution 19%

IUCRC Phase III The Pennsylvania State University: Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST)

Oh, H. J. , Gomez, E. D. , Arges, C., Sheikhi, A. & Zydney, A.

3/1/24 → 2/28/29

• membrane 100%
• science and technology 47%
• student 23%
• vaccine 23%
• therapy 19%

I-Corps: Electrolyzers for Green Hydrogen Production Using Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Logan, B. E.

2/1/24 → 1/31/25

• hydrogen 100%
• membrane 72%
• electrokinesis 33%
• solar energy 25%

Conference: Workshop on Mobilizing Our Universities for Education on Energy Use, Carbon Emissions, and Climate Change

• energy use 100%
• environmental engineering 76%
• education 66%
• curriculum 55%
• carbon emission 31%

EAGER: IMPRESS-U: Random Matrix Theory and its Applications to Deep Learning

Berlyand, L. V.

1/1/24 → 12/31/25

• Deep neural networks 100%
• Deep learning 46%
• Learning systems 31%
• Condensed matter physics 20%
• Numerical methods 18%

X-ray Reflection Gratings: Key Developments for the Next Decade

McEntaffer, R. L.

Goddard Space Flight Center

11/14/23 → 11/13/26

Collaborative Research: FuSe: Indium selenides based back end of line neuromorphic accelerators

10/1/23 → 9/30/26

• Indium 100%
• Chalcogenides 80%
• Neural networks 62%
• Oxide semiconductors 60%

Collaborative Research: Development of a Nanofabrication Lab Manual Featuring a Suite of Low-Cost Experiments to Enable Hands-On Training at Community and Technical Colleges

Ahmed, I., Gray, Z. R. & Awadelkarim, O. O.

• experiment 100%
• technician 91%
• technical college 55%
• industry 49%

Mathews, Jonathan P. (Recipient), 2016

Prize : Honorary award

Excellence in Career Mentoring Award

Waxmonsky, James (Recipient), Connor, James (Recipient), Pantanelli, Seth (Recipient) & Shen, Chan (Recipient), 2022

School of Materials Science and Engineering

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Materials Research Institute

The Materials Research Institute is a catalyst for multidisciplinary education and innovations in materials at Penn State.

Housed within the 275,600 square foot Millennium Science Complex, the institute offers state-of-the-art research and collaboration spaces and is uniquely positioned to foster collaboration with The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.

The vision of the institute is to apply both the depth and breadth of collective expertise to engage in research without boundaries, and thereby, to create a new generation of highly qualified graduates who can both communicate and innovate in a converging technological world.

• Materials Characterization Lab
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• N-317 Millennium Science Complex Pollock Road University Park, PA 16802

The Department of Biomedical Engineering administers the bachelor of science, master of science, and doctorate degree programs in biomedical engineering. Our work combines traditional engineering principles with medicine and technology for the betterment of human health and society. 

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We use science and engineering to solve industrial problems. From materials analysis to infrastructure management, our innovations will give you a real competitive advantage. We are constantly updating our website to bring you the most exciting and in-depth information on materials and engineering. If you have a specific enquiry about our services or research programmes, please email us on [email protected]

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About UC IMRI

The Irvine Materials Research Institute (IMRI) is an interdisciplinary special research program for materials research established under the  Office of Research  at the  University of California, Irvine  (UCI). As the cross-campus nexus for materials research and development, the primary mission of IMRI is to make UCI one of the world’s premiere institutes for materials research.

IMRI has two major goals: (1) To establish and maintain world-class facilities for the characterization and fabrication of materials and devices, and (2) to serve as a national center of excellence for materials research. IMRI partners with the newly established  Center for Complex and Active Materials  (CCAM), which is funded through the National Science Foundation’s  Materials Research Science and Engineering  (MRSEC) program.

IMRI operates materials characterization user facilities that are open to all researchers in academia, industry, governmental labs, and non-profit organizations on a recharge basis. The IMRI facilities offer state-of-the-art instrumentation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FIB), X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface science (e.g., XPS), elemental analysis (e.g., ICP-MS), and many other techniques, as well as laboratories for sample preparation and materials fabrication. IMRI is the Orange County and Southern California hub for materials characterization services. Please visit our Facilities pages to learn more and contact us today!

News & Updates

Uci scientists observe effects of heat in materials with atomic resolution.

Jun 9, 2022

UCI scientists observe effects of heat in materials with atomic resolution Research will benefit design of future electronic and thermoelectric technologies  Irvine, Calif., June 8, 2022 – As electronic, thermoelectric and computer technologies have been miniaturized...

UCI scientists measure local vibrational modes at individual crystalline faults

Jan 28, 2021

Breakthrough research made possible by advanced microscopic techniques Often admired for their flawless appearance to the naked eye, crystals can have defects at the nanometer scale, and these imperfections may affect the thermal and heat transport properties of...

Eutectic microstructure induced by flash sintering

By Yingjie Yang and Martha MecartneyMaterials Science and Engineering, UC Irvine LaPO4/Al2O3 eutectic microstructure produced by flash sintering, a process that uses an electric field to enhance densification at lower temperatures and shorter processing times....

Structural characterization of quantum dot superlattice by electron tomography

Sep 2, 2020

This study used the GrandARM to make a tomogram of a 3D quantum dot superlattice film. It’s state-of-the-art tomography using a full-tilt needle sample, with 0.65 nm resolution over a very large volume of 4.3 x 105 nm3. The full article can be found at J. Mater. Chem....

liquid phase electron microscopy

Apr 10, 2020

The website for the GRC on liquid phase EM is now up. The first conference will be January 26 – 31, 2020, Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco. More details can be found at the following website: https://www.grc.org/liquid-phase-electron-microscopy-conference/2020/...

IMRI special seminar:Molecular Design for Reliable Organic Electronics

IMRI special seminar:Molecular Design for Reliable Organic Electronics Dr. Xiaofeng Liu Principal Scientist Carbon Nanotube Technologies, LLC Monday, February 11, 2019, 1:30 pm 2201 Natural Sciences II Abstract: Narrow bandgap conjugated small molecules and polymers...

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Morgan Advanced Materials visited Penn State recently to sign a memorandum of understanding. From left are: Fernando “Nando” Vallejos-Burgos, Global Testing Labs manager at Morgan Advanced Materials; Michael Wade Smith, senior vice president and chief of staff at Penn State; Joe Abrahamson, lead at Morgan Advanced Materials’ Carbon Center of Excellence; Andy Goshe, director of strategy for Morgan Advanced Materials’ Performance Carbon Division; David Fecko, director of industry collaborations in the Materials Research Institute at Penn State; Thomas Connolly, global technology director and chief technology officer for Morgan Advanced Materials’ Performance Carbon Division; Wendy Pryce Lewis, president of Morgan Advanced Materials’ Performance Carbon Division; Neeli Bendapudi, president of Penn State; Andrew Read, senior vice president for research at Penn State; Ashley Chan, director of corporate engagement at Penn State; Josh Robinson, acting associate dean for research in earth and minerals sciences and director of the Silicon Carbide Crystal Center; Aleksandra Slavkovic, associate dean for research and innovation, Eberly College of Science at Penn State; Tonya Peeples, Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering and professor of chemical engineering at Penn State; Lee Kump, John Leone Dean of College of Earth and Minerals Science and professor of geosciences at Penn State; and David Lieb, interim vice president development and alumni relations at Penn State. Credit: Christie Clancy/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State, Morgan Advanced Materials partner to improve semiconductor materials

April 17, 2024

Editor’s note: A version of this article was first published on Penn State News .

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and Morgan Advanced Materials have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to catalyze research and development of silicon carbide, known as SiC, a semiconductor material that operates more efficiently at high voltages than competing technologies. This agreement includes a new five-year, multimillion-dollar initiative and a commitment by Morgan to become a founding member of the recently launched Penn State Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance , as well as to supply the graphite materials and solutions needed for SiC development to Penn State for use by internal and external partners.

The initiative is a coalition of industry leaders, academic institutions and government support led by Joshua Robinson, professor of materials science and engineering and acting associate dean for research in Penn State’s College of Earth and Minerals Sciences.

“We are very excited to have Morgan as a founding member in the initiative as partnerships like this will maximize our impact in next generation SiC crystal research and workforce development,” Robinson said.  

The MOU outlines how the partners aim to advance carbon research and evaluate how Morgan’s carbon material product impacts SiC wafer fabrication. SiC wafers are a semiconductor material that is increasingly important in the global transition to a greener energy infrastructure and surging demand for semiconductors, as demonstrated by the bipartisan support for the CHIPS for America Act . Traditionally, semiconductor devices have been manufactured from silicon. Silicon carbide is made from tightly arranged silicon and carbon atoms that enable superior performance in a wide range of high-voltage applications, such as high-speed charging stations and power converters in electric vehicles.   

Silicon carbide crystals are grown at extreme temperatures — greater than 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit — in a physical vapor transport (PVT) furnace that utilizes a significant amount of carbon to maintain the temperature during the growth process. Similar to insulation in a home, carbon materials made by Morgan act as insulating layers that reduce heat loss and the amount of electricity needed to keep the furnaces running in this weekslong process.

Morgan Advanced Materials is a global company that has been innovating and manufacturing carbon and graphite-based materials essential for growing silicon carbide crystals since the 1990s. Morgan established a world-class Carbon Science Centre of Excellence in Innovation Park in 2016 that has fostered several collaborations with Penn State researchers. The partnership combines resources and experience, creating an environment where students, researchers and industry experts can come together to explore, learn and innovate.  

“The new agreement with Penn State seamlessly aligns our goal of establishing Morgan as a key player in the silicon carbide market — we are not only advancing our own graphite competencies but also contributing to the development of high-value products in the market,” said Thomas Connolly, chief technology officer at Morgan Advanced Materials.  

A new SiC growth facility in Penn State’s Academic Activities Building at University Park, funded via support from Penn State’s Office for the Senior Vice President for Research and the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, is expected to be fully operational by the beginning of 2025. This will house a pilot-scale facility that will emulate the entire SiC bulk crystal growth supply chain.

“To have the opportunity to continue our partnership with Morgan Advanced Materials will further solidify the University’s reputation as a leader in silicon carbide research and position us to create bigger and more impactful innovations in the future,” said Clive Randall, director of Penn State’s Material Research Institute.    

The Corporate Engagement Center played a key role in expanding Morgan’s commitment to Penn State. The center’s leadership has noted that they anticipate that the alliance will attract additional industry partners.

“Partnerships with public and private entities have allowed Penn State to be the first university in decades to house SiC equipment from boule to wafer processing,” said Andrew Read, senior vice president for research at Penn State. We greatly appreciate Morgan’s continued commitment to Penn State and are looking forward to the discoveries we will make together.”  

Affiliate colleges and units in this partnership include the Eberly College of Science, the College of Earth and Minerals Sciences, the College of Engineering, the Materials Research Institute and the Applied Research Laboratory. Access to the PVT furnace will help researchers from these units and beyond with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the parameters that impact crystal growth and identify, investigate and address challenges facing the market, driving innovation and progress. For more information about the partnership, contact Ashley Chan at [email protected] .   

About Penn State

Penn State is a multi-campus, land-grant, public research University that educates students from around the world and supports individuals and communities through integrated programs of teaching, research and service. Penn State is an R1 university, a classification given by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Higher Education to the very best research universities in America, reaching a record $1.239 billion in research expenditures during fiscal year 2022-23. The University’s discovery-oriented, collaborative and interdisciplinary research and scholarship promote human and economic development, global understanding, and advancement in professional practice through the expansion of knowledge and its applications in the natural and applied sciences, social and behavioral sciences, engineering, technology, arts and humanities, and myriad professions. The University’s instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, continuing and extension education, offered through both resident instruction and distance learning. Penn State’s educational programs are enriched by the talent, knowledge, diversity, creativity and teaching and research acumen of its faculty, students and staff. As Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant university, Penn State provides unparalleled access to education and public service to support the citizens of the commonwealth and beyond. The University engages in collaborative activities with private sector, educational and governmental partners worldwide to generate, integrate, apply and disseminate knowledge that is valuable to society. For more information, visit www.research.psu.edu .    

About Morgan Advanced Materials   

Morgan Advanced Materials is a global leader in ceramics and carbon materials, assisting customers in solving complex problems across various sectors. Its Performance Carbon division specializes in creating cutting-edge carbon, graphite and silicon carbide products for the semiconductor, transportation, energy and industrial processes sectors. The company's expertise in manufacturing graphite components enables it to enhance the performance and reliability of electrical power applications. Morgan Advanced Materials' world-class ultra-high-purity graphite and felt products operate at the highest temperature range in the industry, delivering optimized yields for our semiconductor producers. The company works closely with customers to deliver tailored solutions and offers custom design and precision matching capabilities. Morgan’s partnership with Penn State University led to establishing the Carbon Science Centre of Excellence in 2018.

Funding from the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research is provided through Award # FA9550-23-1-0561.

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Princeton University

Andlinger center for energy and the environment, andlinger center news, gerhard r. andlinger visiting fellow engineers sustainable carbon materials for a greener future.

By Colton Poore

Sustainable carbon materials specialist Ange Nzihou has joined the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment as a Gerhard R. Andlinger Visiting Fellow, strengthening the Center’s expertise in carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration.

A chemical engineer by training, Nzihou is a leader in carbon valorization — converting underused carbon resources like biomass and biowaste into valuable materials in the hopes of moving toward a more circular carbon economy.

“Carbon is a primary component of biomass and is among the most abundant chemical elements on Earth, but we tend to view biomass-based carbon as a source of waste,” Nzihou said. “Instead of treating these biomass streams as valueless, I work on ways to transform that carbon into useful products.”

Nzihou is a distinguished professor of chemical engineering at IMT Mines Albi – CNRS in France. For 10 years, he served as the chair of the chemical engineering department, growing its faculty and raising its visibility as a national and international leader in energy and environmental research. He also previously served as director of the RAPSODEE UMR CNRS 5302 Center (Albi Research Center in Process Engineering of Divided Solids, Energy and Environment), during which he forged research collaborations with researchers in China and India and established four joint research labs with international industry partners.

At Princeton, Nzihou will continue collaborations he first formed while visiting campus through the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program in 2022. He will further develop past work with Claire White , associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, on the use of biomass to create sustainable graphene for applications in energy storage and carbon sequestration.

Additionally, Nzihou will work with Craig Arnold , the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, to explore applications for sustainable carbon materials in agriculture. For instance, the two plan to engineer hierarchical biomass-derived carbon aerogels and xerogels that capture carbon dioxide, regulate soil moisture, and improve crop yields in arid regions around the world.

Nzihou also plans to work with Nan Yao , professor of the practice at the Princeton Materials Institute and director of Princeton’s Imaging and Analysis Center . Yao and Nzihou will collaborate to explore the nanostructure of the sustainable carbon materials that Nzihou develops.

During his fellowship, Nzihou also aims to establish new collaborations that unite the experience of scientists from across the University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) around the theme of sustainable carbon materials. For example, he plans to work with Yevgeny Raitses , managing principal research physicist at PPPL, to create biomass-derived carbon nanotubes using low-temperature plasma. Carbon nanotubes are cylinders of rolled-up graphene that have a wide range of applications, including in batteries, solar cells, and water purification systems.

“As a chemical engineer, you learn the fundamentals, which you can then apply to a number of domains,” Nzihou said. “Once you understand the basics, it’s easy to tune a material for energy, agriculture, or anything else, because the fundamental science behind each application is ultimately the same.”

Nzihou was recently awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant for a project to develop a biomass-based carbon material capable of recovering and storing waste heat from heavy industry. The ERC Advanced Grant is among the most competitive and prestigious research grants in Europe. Nzihou believes the grant will forge long-lasting research partnerships with the Andlinger Center and Princeton.

Beyond his research endeavors, Nzihou plans to organize a workshop dedicated to sustainable carbon materials, convening researchers across campus to identify research priorities and funding opportunities for bringing the world closer to a circular carbon economy.

“Princeton has a combination of excellence in science, teaching, social, and cultural life,” said Nzihou. “All of these dimensions come together to define the campus as a special place for me. It’s truly something wonderful.”

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Princeton University

Science has an ai problem. this group says they can fix it..

By Scott Lyon

May 1, 2024

Researchers recommend 32 best practices to stamp out a smoldering crisis that threatens to engulf all of science: thousands of AI-driven claims across dozens of fields that cannot be reproduced. Illustration courtesy Adobe Stock

AI holds the potential to help doctors find early markers of disease and policymakers to avoid decisions that lead to war. But a growing body of evidence has revealed deep flaws in how machine learning is used in science, a problem that has swept through dozens of fields and implicated thousands of erroneous papers.

Now an interdisciplinary team of 19 researchers, led by Princeton University computer scientists Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor, has published guidelines for the responsible use of machine learning in science.

“When we graduate from traditional statistical methods to machine learning methods, there are a vastly greater number of ways to shoot oneself in the foot,” said Narayanan , director of Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy and a professor of computer science . “If we don’t have an intervention to improve our scientific standards and reporting standards when it comes to machine learning-based science, we risk not just one discipline but many different scientific disciplines rediscovering these crises one after another.”

The authors say their work is an effort to stamp out this smoldering crisis of credibility that threatens to engulf nearly every corner of the research enterprise. A paper detailing their guidelines appeared May 1 in the journal Science Advances .

Because machine learning has been adopted across virtually every scientific discipline, with no universal standards safeguarding the integrity of those methods, Narayanan said the current crisis, which he calls the reproducibility crisis , could become far more serious than the replication crisis that emerged in social psychology more than a decade ago.

The good news is that a simple set of best practices can help resolve this newer crisis before it gets out of hand, according to the authors, who come from computer science, mathematics, social science and health research.

“This is a systematic problem with systematic solutions,” said Kapoor , a graduate student who works with Narayanan and who organized the effort to produce the new consensus-based checklist.

The checklist focuses on ensuring the integrity of research that uses machine learning. Science depends on the ability to independently reproduce results and validate claims. Otherwise, new work cannot be reliably built atop old work, and the entire enterprise collapses. While other researchers have developed checklists that apply to discipline-specific problems, notably in medicine, the new guidelines start with the underlying methods and apply them to any quantitative discipline.

One of the main takeaways is transparency. The checklist calls on researchers to provide detailed descriptions of each machine learning model, including the code, the data used to train and test the model, the hardware specifications used to produce the results, the experimental design, the project’s goals and any limitations of the study’s findings. The standards are flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of nuance, including private datasets and complex hardware configurations, according to the authors.

While the increased rigor of these new standards might slow the publication of any given study, the authors believe wide adoption of these standards would increase the overall rate of discovery and innovation, potentially by a lot.

“What we ultimately care about is the pace of scientific progress,” said sociologist Emily Cantrell , one of the lead authors, who is pursuing her Ph.D. at Princeton. “By making sure the papers that get published are of high quality and that they’re a solid base for future papers to build on, that potentially then speeds up the pace of scientific progress. Focusing on scientific progress itself and not just getting papers out the door is really where our emphasis should be.”

Kapoor concurred. The errors hurt. “At the collective level, it’s just a major time sink,” he said. That time costs money. And that money, once wasted, could have catastrophic downstream effects, limiting the kinds of science that attract funding and investment, tanking ventures that are inadvertently built on faulty science, and discouraging countless numbers of young researchers.

In working toward a consensus about what should be included in the guidelines, the authors said they aimed to strike a balance: simple enough to be widely adopted, comprehensive enough to catch as many common mistakes as possible.

They say researchers could adopt the standards to improve their own work; peer reviewers could use the checklist to assess papers; and journals could adopt the standards as a requirement for publication.

“The scientific literature, especially in applied machine learning research, is full of avoidable errors,” Narayanan said. “And we want to help people. We want to keep honest people honest.”

The paper, “ Consensus-based recommendations for machine-learning-based science ,” published on May 1 in Science Advances, included the following authors:

Sayash Kapoor, Princeton University; Emily Cantrell, Princeton University; Kenny Peng, Cornell University; Thanh Hien (Hien) Pham, Princeton University; Christopher A. Bail, Duke University; Odd Erik Gundersen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Jake M. Hofman, Microsoft Research; Jessica Hullman, Northwestern University; Michael A. Lones, Heriot-Watt University; Momin M. Malik, Center for Digital Health, Mayo Clinic; Priyanka Nanayakkara, Northwestern; Russell A. Poldrack, Stanford University; Inioluwa Deborah Raji, University of California-Berkeley; Michael Roberts, University of Cambridge; Matthew J. Salganik, Princeton University; Marta Serra-Garcia, University of California-San Diego; Brandon M. Stewart, Princeton University; Gilles Vandewiele, Ghent University; and Arvind Narayanan, Princeton University.

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Predicting the fatigue strength of structural elements

• Published: 02 July 2017
• Volume 37 , pages 388–392, ( 2017 )

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• A. N. Lisin 1 ,
• I. I. Nabokov 1 &
• V. V. Mozalev 2  

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The development of models relating the fatigue strength of materials to their static strength and plasticity is considered. Statistical strength theories were developed to describe the results of fatigue tests and to predict the strength of machine components with variable loads. Experiments show that the strength of materials depends significantly on structural defects, and the limiting stress is a statistical quantity.

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Prediction of fatigue resistance characteristics of structural materials at large numbers of loading cycles*.

Assessing the Fatigue Strength of Structural Materials by Assuming Equivalence of a Complex Stress State and Simple Extension. 1. Review of Experimental Data and Preliminary Analysis

Assessing the fatigue strength of structural materials by assuming equivalence of a complex stress state and simple extension. 2. formulation and verification of equivalence criterion.

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Original Russian Text © A.N. Lisin, I.I. Nabokov, V.V. Mozalev, 2017, published in Vestnik Mashinostroeniya, 2017, No. 2, pp. 46–50.

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Lisin, A.N., Nabokov, I.I. & Mozalev, V.V. Predicting the fatigue strength of structural elements. Russ. Engin. Res. 37 , 388–392 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068798X17050161

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Two MIT PhD students awarded J-WAFS fellowships for their research on water

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Since 2014, the Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) has advanced interdisciplinary research aimed at solving the world's most pressing water and food security challenges to meet human needs. In 2017, J-WAFS established the Rasikbhai L. Meswani Water Solutions Fellowship and the J-WAFS Graduate Student Fellowship. These fellowships provide support to outstanding MIT graduate students who are pursuing research that has the potential to improve water and food systems around the world. 

Recently, J-WAFS awarded the 2024-25 fellowships to Jonathan Bessette and Akash Ball, two MIT PhD students dedicated to addressing water scarcity by enhancing desalination and purification processes. This work is of important relevance since the world's freshwater supply has been steadily depleting due to the effects of climate change. In fact, one-third of the global population lacks access to safe drinking water. Bessette and Ball are focused on designing innovative solutions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of global water systems. To support their endeavors, J-WAFS will provide each recipient with funding for one academic semester for continued research and related activities.

“This year, we received many strong fellowship applications,” says J-WAFS executive director Renee J. Robins. “Bessette and Ball both stood out, even in a very competitive pool of candidates. The award of the J-WAFS fellowships to these two students underscores our confidence in their potential to bring transformative solutions to global water challenges.”

2024-25 Rasikbhai L. Meswani Fellowship for Water Solutions

The Rasikbhai L. Meswani Fellowship for Water Solutions is a doctoral fellowship for students pursuing research related to water and water supply at MIT. The fellowship is made possible by Elina and Nikhil Meswani and family. 

Jonathan Bessette is a doctoral student in the Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, advised by Professor Amos Winter. His research is focused on water treatment systems for the developing world, mainly desalination, or the process in which salts are removed from water. Currently, Bessette is working on designing and constructing a low-cost, deployable, community-scale desalination system for humanitarian crises.

In arid and semi-arid regions, groundwater often serves as the sole water source, despite its common salinity issues. Many remote and developing areas lack reliable centralized power and water systems, making brackish groundwater desalination a vital, sustainable solution for global water scarcity. 

“An overlooked need for desalination is inland groundwater aquifers, rather than in coastal areas,” says Bessette. “This is because much of the population lives far enough from a coast that seawater desalination could never reach them. My work involves designing low-cost, sustainable, renewable-powered desalination technologies for highly constrained situations, such as drinking water for remote communities,” he adds.

To achieve this goal, Bessette developed a batteryless, renewable electrodialysis desalination system. The technology is energy-efficient, conserves water, and is particularly suited for challenging environments, as it is decentralized and sustainable. The system offers significant advantages over the conventional reverse osmosis method, especially in terms of reduced energy consumption for treating brackish water. Highlighting Bessette’s capacity for engineering insight, his advisor noted the “simple and elegant solution” that Bessette and a staff engineer, Shane Pratt, devised that negated the need for the system to have large batteries. Bessette is now focusing on simplifying the system’s architecture to make it more reliable and cost-effective for deployment in remote areas.

Growing up in upstate New York, Bessette completed a bachelor's degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo. As an undergrad, he taught middle and high school students in low-income areas of Buffalo about engineering and sustainability. However, he cited his junior-year travel to India and his experience there measuring water contaminants in rural sites as cementing his dedication to a career addressing food, water, and sanitation challenges. In addition to his doctoral research, his commitment to these goals is further evidenced by another project he is pursuing, funded by a J-WAFS India grant, that uses low-cost, remote sensors to better understand water fetching practices. Bessette is conducting this work with fellow MIT student Gokul Sampath in order to help families in rural India gain access to safe drinking water.

2024-25 J-WAFS Graduate Student Fellowship for Water and Food Solutions

The J-WAFS Graduate Student Fellowship is supported by the J-WAFS Research Affiliate Program , which offers companies the opportunity to engage with MIT on water and food research. Current fellowship support was provided by two J-WAFS Research Affiliates: Xylem , a leading U.S.-based provider of water treatment and infrastructure solutions, and GoAigua , a Spanish company at the forefront of digital transformation in the water industry through innovative solutions. 

Akash Ball is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, advised by Professor Heather Kulik. His research focuses on the computational discovery of novel functional materials for energy-efficient ion separation membranes with high selectivity. Advanced membranes like these are increasingly needed for applications such as water desalination, battery recycling, and removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater. 

“Climate change, water pollution, and scarce freshwater reserves cause severe water distress for about 4 billion people annually, with 2 billion in India and China’s semiarid regions,” Ball notes. “One potential solution to this global water predicament is the desalination of seawater, since seawater accounts for 97 percent of all water on Earth.”

Although several commercial reverse osmosis membranes are currently available, these membranes suffer several problems, like slow water permeation, permeability-selectivity trade-off, and high fabrication costs. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials that are promising candidates for highly selective ion separation with fast water transport due to high surface area, the presence of different pore windows, and the tunability of chemical functionality. In the Kulik lab, Ball is developing a systematic understanding of how MOF chemistry and pore geometry affect water transport and ion rejection rates. By the end of his PhD, Ball plans to identify existing, best-performing MOFs with unparalleled water uptake using machine learning models, propose novel hypothetical MOFs tailored to specific ion separations from water, and discover experimental design rules that enable the synthesis of next-generation membranes.  

Ball’s advisor praised the creativity he brings to his research, and his leadership skills that benefit her whole lab. Before coming to MIT, Ball obtained a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Jadavpur University in India. During a research internship at IIT Bombay in 2018, he worked on developing a technology for in situ arsenic detection in water. Like Bessette, he noted the impact of this prior research experience on his interest in global water challenges, along with his personal experience growing up in an area in India where access to safe drinking water was not guaranteed.

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Discovering Alloys with Exceptional Fracture Resistance

May 7, 2024 By Michelle Revels

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• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

A medium-entropy refractory alloy generally has favorable mechanical properties, making it applicable in fields such as aerospace, defense, energy conversion and manufacturing. However, almost all high- and medium-entropy alloys decrease in strength and ductility at extremely high or extremely low temperatures, limiting their usage.

Alongside a team of researchers from across the nation, Dr. Enrique J. Lavernia, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the J. Mike Walker ‘66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has discovered a refractory alloy that contradicts this trend by exhibiting an unprecedented fracture toughness at very low temperatures due to its ability to form kink bands. 

The findings, published in Science , showcase that this novel class of materials can show resistance to fracture in a wider range of temperatures, broadening their real-life applications    

To conduct this study, the researchers used a multidisciplinary approach that involves synthesis and experiments to determine mechanical properties and detailed characterization using electron microscopy techniques to study these novel materials and their deformation behaviors.

The study investigated the mechanical properties of a refractory medium-entropy alloy made of niobium, molybdenum, tantalum and hafnium (NbTaTiHf). 

To test the new alloy’s response to extreme environments, the researchers exposed the alloy to a wide range of temperatures, from 77 to 1473 Kelvin — the equivalent of - 321.07 Fahrenheit to 2191.73 Fahrenheit.    

The findings showed that the alloy could retain strength and fracture toughness at these temperatures because of its ability to form kink bands. Kinks bands are deviations of a dislocation effect within a crystal structure that contain a change in the positioning of atoms. These dislocations allow atoms to slide over each other at low-stress levels on a glide plane.  

The toughness of the discovered alloy is attributed to these dislocations, which promote strain hardening to form the kink bands, dispersing damage away from crack tips.

“Contrary to a generally accepted concept, body-centered cubic refractory alloys can possess extraordinary fracture toughness across cryogenic and high temperatures that arise from the coordinated glide of edge dislocations at a crack tip, which results in complex arrays of kink bands,” said Lavernia.  

This discovery of this potentially new mechanism could lead to increased applications for refractory alloys. 

This research is a collaborative effort between Drs. David H. Cook, Madelyn I. Payne, Pedro Borges, Wenqing Wang, Flynn Walsh, Mark Asta, Robert O. Ritchie and Punit Kumar from the University of California, Berkeley and the Materials Sciences Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Dr. Andrew M. Minor from the University of California, Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkley National Lab, and the National Center for Electron Microscopy; Drs. Calvin H. Belcher and Diran Apelian from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Irvine; Drs. Zehao Li and Arun Devaraj from the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; and Dr. Mingwei Zhang from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Center for Electron Microscopy.  

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