Studying MSE

The MSE department at Ohio State offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees. Learn about our undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as application instructions, financial aid, and more.

Undergraduate degree information

Graduate degree information

What is Materials Science and Engineering?

Silicon chips, artificial limbs, body armor, nanomachines, fuel cells, aerospace alloys, biomaterials, "green" technology--materials are everywhere! All that we see and use is made of materials. This field, so fundamental to all engineering, seeks to understand the structure of a material and thus be able to tailor-make desired properties. Go to more about the field of materials science and engineering

IMCS12

12^th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors is an interdisciplinary forum covering all aspects of chemical sensors encompassing physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering disciplines including biomedical engineering. This year's meeting will be hosted by the Center for Industrial Sensors and Measurements (CISM). The conference will meet July 13-16 at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow on the campus of The Ohio State University.

 

Congratulations to our Juniors and Seniors!

Our Seniors, pictured below, and many of our Juniors were recently honored at the ASM Spring Student Awards Night, sponsored by the joint Columbus chapters of ASM and TMS. Each year the group hosts outstanding students from Ohio State's MSE department and Hocking College's department of Industrial Ceramics Technology. Following dinner, MSE senior Matthew Chalker presented an overview of his experiences as a Materials Science and Engineering major as it relates to his B.A. degree in Art History. Matt showed how art conservationists also use materials science equipment and techniques in their field. Matt will attend the University of Melbourne, Australia, to pursue his master's degree in the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, focusing on the conservation of Aboriginal and Maori artifacts.

The evening concluded with recognition, thanks, and awards to officers, members, and scholars from the various organizations. Six OSU students each received special recognition and a $200 award for their outstanding scholarship and contributions to the Materials Science and Engineering department.

L-R: back row: Matt Stuck, Eric Sher, Caesar Buie, Kent Pullins, Mitch Bruns, Usiosefe Aimiuwu third row: Zach Brown, Ally Stahl, Adam Dyer, Mike Baughman, Zack Warchol, Mike Gram second row Melissa Walker, Libby Brannon, Karen Domas, Beau Billet, Matt Chalker, Tyler Rolfes front row: Katie Sherer, Katrina Altman, Abby McKain, Leslie Andrews, Sarah Bertke, Jessica Wolever, Nat Sheppard (Not present: Tim Wysong) Photo by Geoff Hulse

 

Chair Rudy Buchheit and Katrina Altman

George St. Pierre and Sarah Bertke

The Department Chair's Award - Katrina Altman
To the outstanding senior scholar in the Materials Science and Engineering Program.

Mars G. Fontana Award - Tyler Rolfes
To the outstanding senior scholar conducting research in metallurgy.

Alan J. Markworth Memorial Award - Jessica Wolever
To the student who best reflects the personal and professional talents of Professor Markworth.

George St. Pierre Award - Sarah Bertke
For scholarship and professional activities in the MSE department.

ASM/TMS Chapter's Ernie W. Christin Award - Kent Pullins
For the student who best demonstrates how industrial experience has influenced his or her educational development.

Outstanding Junior Scholar - Greg Ebersole
Recognizing an outstanding junior student.

Foundry Educational Foundation Scholarship Recipients (awarded earlier this year)

Juniors Daniel Owsley Evan Standish Craig Vanderbilt

Sophomore Daniel Campbell

Recognition of Department Scholars

Juniors
Those holding a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and an MSE department grade point average of 3.2.

Kazuhiro Chisaka Gregory Ebersole David Gross Meredith Herzog Amanda Lorenz Olivia Rumpke

Matthew Snider John Sosa Evan Standish Caitlin Toohey Ryan Vitale

Seniors
Those holding a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and an MSE department grade point average of 3.0

Katrina Altman Michael Baughman Sarah Bertke Beau Billet Elizabeth Brannon Caesar Buie Matthew Chalker Karen Domas Michael Gram

Kent Pullins Tyler Rolfes Nathaniel Sheppard Kathleen Sherer Allyson Stahl Melissa Walker Zachary Warchol Jessica Wolever

MSE Club Officers 2007-2008
Thank you for your service!

Zack Warchol, President
Abby McKain, Vice President
Sarah Bertke, Treasurer
Leslie Andrews, Secretary

 

MSE students receive awards at 2008 Women in Engineering annual banquet

Congratulations to the following MSE undergraduates who were recognized at the 2008 Women in Engineering banquet on February 20, 2008:

L-R: standing: Elizabeth Martin, Sarah Bertke, Katrina Altman, Stacey Vansickle, Tiffany Ngan, Olivia Rumpke seated: Karen Domas, Jessica Wolever, Katie Sherer

First-year Certificate of Achievement

Yifan Jiang
Tiffany Ngan
Jacqueline Ohmura

Outstanding Academic Award - $250 sponsored prize

Sarah Bertke - Caterpillar, Inc.
Karen Domas - Honda R&D
Elizabeth Martin - EWI
Olivia Rumpke - Cummins
Katie Sherer - Northrop Grumman
Stacey Vansickle - ArcelorMittal
Jessica Wolever - ArcelorMittal

Top Academic Award - $2000 sponsored prize

Katrina Altman - ArcelorMittal

 

The passing of two dear friends, Chuck Morin and Franklin Beck

The MSE family is mourning the loss of two dear friends, Chuck Morin and Franklin Beck.

On February 2, 2008 Charles "Chuck" Morin died peacefully at his home in Aurora, IL. Born in 1947 in Burlington, VT, Chuck attended OSU and met his wife, Beth, whom he married 1968. He earned both his BS and MS degrees in Metallurgical Engineering at OSU and went on to hold a number of key positions in industry. [view text of obituary]

On February 20, 2008 Dr. Franklin H. Beck Sr. passed away in Columbus, OH. Franklin is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Jean C. Beck, as well as many children and grandchildren. He served the MSE department for many years, being widely known for his work and publications on the topic of corrosion. [view text of obituary]

 

Welcome (back) Dr. Heather Powell!

Dr. Heather M. Powell

Dr. Heather Powell, a new Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, conducts research on biomaterials for tissue regeneration. Prior to her arrival at Ohio State, Powell was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Shriners Hospitals for Children where she performed research on human bioengineered skin. She received her doctorate in MSE from The Ohio State University in 2004.

Dr. Powell's research interests include biomaterials, tissue engineering and biomechanics. Her research utilizes principles of materials science, polymer chemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and genetic engineering to generate materials/devices that can be utilized to replace, restore or improve the function of diseased or damaged tissues. In tissue engineering, cells are commonly combined with a scaffold of native or synthetic origin to guide cellular organization and differentiation while providing mechanical strength and integrity. The current generation of scaffolds does not possess all of the necessary properties to replicate the native tissue. Dr. Powell utilizes biomimetic and biomechanical strategies to generate scaffolds which can provide the optimal balance of mechanical properties and biological function. [Go to Dr. Powell's faculty bio page]

 

Welcome Dr. J.-C. Zhao!

Dr. Ji-Cheng (J.-C.) Zhao

The MSE department welcomes Dr. Ji-Cheng (J.-C.) Zhao to the faculty! Dr. Zhao was a materials scientist and project/team leader at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY, where he had worked since 1995 when he obtained his PhD degree in materials science and engineering from Lehigh University. His research focused phase diagrams, thermodynamics, diffusion, design of advanced alloys and coatings for jet engines, and hydrogen storage materials. In addition to many materials innovations, he has developed a diffusion-multiple approach for accelerated materials discovery and development. J.-C. has received several honors including the Geisler Award from ASM International, the Hull Award from GE Global Research, and was elected a Fellow of ASM International in 2003. He has published about 65 papers and edited/co-edited two books and two theme issues of MRS Bulletin. He also holds 36 US patents with 26 more pending. J.-C. serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion and on the Editorial Board of Advanced Engineering Materials. He was one of the four 2006 Volume Organizers of MRS Bulletin and will be one of the four Meeting Chairs for the MRS Fall Meeting in 2009. His innovations were featured in news, covers, and a cover story in Nature, C&E News, MRS Bulletin, and Advanced Engineering Materials. [view faculty bio page]

 

Welcome Dr. Jianjun Guan!

Dr. Jianjun Guan

The MSE department welcomes the arrival of Dr. Jianjun Guan, the department's newest faculty member. Dr. Guan will join the faculty in October, 2007 as an assistant professor in biomaterials. Prior to his arrival, Dr. Guan served as a Research Assistant Professor in the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He joined the University of Pittsburgh in September 2000 as a postdoctoral fellow after he received his PhD in Chemistry (Polymer Chemistry and Physics) from Zhejiang University, China. He was then promoted to Research Associate and Research Assistant Professor. He has been in the biomaterials and tissue engineering fields for ten years. In recent years he has been working on cardiovascular tissue engineering aiming to engineer cardiac tissue and blood vessels. [more]

Upcoming events

• 5/16: Rib-'n-Roast! The festivities start at 4:30 p.m. in the basement of Donato's. Come see your favorite professors get skewered!
• 5/21: Seminar Craig S. Hartley, El Arroyo Enterprises LLC, "Deformation Textures and Mechanical Properties of FCC and HCP Metals Predicted by Crystal Plasticity Codes"
• 5/26: Memorial Day Holiday--no classes, offices closed.
• 5/30: Last day of SP08
• 6/2-5: SP08 finals
• 6/8: SP08 Commencement
• 6/6-13: Summer Break
• 6/16: Start of SU08
• 7/13-16: 12^th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, an interdisciplinary forum covering all aspects of chemical sensors hosted by the Center for Industrial Sensors and Measurements (CISM).
• 7/14-16: International Workshop on Mechanics-Based Design of Materials Hosted by the University of Western Australia, Perth, the workshop will review the present state, future directions, challenges, and opportunities to be found in the field of mechanics-based materials design.

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Contact the MSE Web Administrator, Mark Cooper, with any concerns by phone at 614-292-7280, or e-mail the MSE Web Administrator.

The MSE word search

"Fuelcells," "corrosion," "composites," "nanotechnology," "metallurgy," "ceramics," and many more--forward, backward, up, and down, can you find them all? The new MSE mug features a word search puzzle highlighting the many areas of study in the exciting field of materials science and engineering. Go to MSE word search puzzle.