Materials Science involves the study of the relationships between the synthesis, processing, structure, properties, and performance of materials that enable an engineering function. The properties of interest can be mechanical, electrical, magnetic or optical; the engineering function can impact industries involved in electronics, communications, medicine, transportation, manufacturing, recreation, energy, and the environment. While the field has evolved from materials formed from metals, ceramics, polymers and their various composites, in recent years there has been increasing focus on creating novel metastable nanostructured materials using, for example, routes inspired by nature. The new fields of nanotechnology and biomaterials are providing the materials scientist with an entirely new palette of molecular, organic, biological and inorganic building blocks to design and assemble nano-engineered materials with unique functionalities. The research and academic programs in MSE at Penn Engineering reflect these exciting new developments and our goal is to provide students enrolling in our programs with the tools to be part of this materials revolution.

Material science and related fields