What is Materials Science? 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 P