Message From The Chair 

I am writing this letter to briefly introduce the Department and to let you know a little bit about our small and dynamic department within the College of Engineering at the University of Washington.  Even though we are housed on a large campus in a big city, we are a small, interdisciplinary, broad-based unit with exciting research and education in all aspects of materials science and engineering.  Our faculty and graduate students are involved in cutting edge research using state-of-the-art facilities.  Our graduate program offers master’s and doctorate degrees in Materials Science and Engineering.  Educational and research opportunities are available in processing, characterization, and properties of all classes of materials.  Our alumni work in academic settings, national labs, and industry.  Industrial employment is comprised of a very broad spectrum of industries including aerospace, automotive, biomedical, chemical, electronics, energy, materials processing, sporting goods, and telecommunications. 

Many prospective students are not aware of the excellent career opportunities available in this field.  This is due, primarily, to a lack of publicity in the popular media.  When a new high strength metal alloy is developed that leads to a better engine, it is invariably publicized as an advance in automotive or aeronautical technology.  Similarly advances in dielectric and semiconductor materials leading to faster computers are heralded as advances in electronics.  The development of new materials and processes has been the backbone of several technological revolutions in history and will continue to be of vital importance to our increasingly technology-based society.   

One of the interesting consequences of this lack of exposure is that our field is relatively uncrowded.  Most of the undergraduate classes offered in the Department have fewer than 35 students.  As a result, the Department is able to offer a curriculum with heavy emphasis on hands-on experiences (e.g. laboratory exercises and participation in research and design projects) and students receive considerable individual attention.  The students in the Department are very active in professional societies both at the national and local levels. 

The MSE Department currently has 70 graduate students and 86 undergraduates; both groups have a high percentage of underrepresented minorities, women, and international students.  We had, in addition to state funding, grants, contract, and other research funding exceeding $3.5 million during the last academic year.  All of our graduate students, including those in the MS program) are financially supported during their studies.  Our core faculty of 10 are augmented by 52 research, visiting, emeritus, adjunct, and affiliate faculty. 

Students graduating from the Materials Science and Engineering Department have an opportunity to take a broad spectrum of elective courses in the areas of their interest.  The Department offers elective courses on polymers, electronic materials, structural materials, composites and nanotechnology.  As a result of this diverse education, our students find employment in a broad range of companies and organizations.  Examples of these include large scale manufacturing (Boeing), electronics industries (Intel), materials processing (ALCOA), a diverse group of small companies (Interpoint, ATL, K2), industrial and national research labs (Sandia, Argonne, Los Alamos), and other academic institutions.  In addition, graduates of the Department are well prepared to pursue graduate degrees. 

The Materials Science and Engineering Department will offer you an outstanding educational experience that will prepare you for a challenging and rewarding career.  If you would like to learn more about the MSE educational programs, contact our Academic Counselor, Ms. Kathleen Elkins.  Or, for more information about the Department, contact the MSE office.

Sincerely,

Prof. Alex K-Y. Jen, Chair