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Materials Science and Engineering What does a Materials Scientist do? Material scientists and engineers solve problems by developing and applying fundamental knowledge of materials. Over the past ten years, increasing knowledge of materials and how to use them has revolutionized how materials are used. Advanced ceramics, for example, may replace metals in high-temperature applications such as internal combustion engines. New oxide superconductors have been developed that present no resistance to the flow of electricity at temperatures well above those used just a few years ago. Other materials open up new possibilities for computer chips, superalloys, and combinations of materials for use in aircraft and sporting equipment. The study and development of materials is one of the "hottest" and most rapidly growing areas in all of science and engineering. Material Science is uniquely interdisciplinary. Graduates of the program may choose employment in a traditional field such as cast metals, or an extremely high-tech area such as ceramics, surface science or superconductivity. Students who enjoyed chemistry in high school should definitely explore career opportunities in materials science. Curriculum Overview Everyone uses and consumes materials of all kinds. Because of this, knowledge of the properties, behavior and proper applications of materials should be of some concern to everyone; but in particular, to those in the fields of engineering and science. For many years, metals were the basic structural materials of value to all modern societies. Metals are easily fabricated into intricate forms and subsequently treated to give them the desired operational properties. Metals are still widely used in advanced societies, but modern ceramics, polymers and composite materials are now being used in applications formerly dominated by metals. Major subdivisions in the department are physical metallurgy and materials science. Physical metallurgy is the study of the microstructural and atomistic characteristics of metals and alloys and their relationship to properties and the environment in which they are used. Materials science applies the principles developed in metallurgical engineering to study the properties of ceramics, metals, polymers, composite materials and solid-state materials. The metallurgy and materials science programs are very similar in the first two years, with their own emphases in the last two years. Materials processing, the conversion of materials into useful shapes by casting, forging, powdered metal forming or other processes, play an important role in both programs. Department graduates are employed by companies involved with automobiles, aircraft, castings, chemical production, and other companies that deal in any significant way with the manufacturing of materials. For More Information
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