AboutMessage from the Chair
A warm welcome to the website of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University!
Our department offers a vibrant and inclusive environment for education and research in many areas of materials science and engineering. With a rich history—the first department in the country known as “materials science and engineering"—we evolve continuously to meet the changing needs of society, addressing topics that include health, energy, sustainability, and information technology. We pursue these themes at the highest level, while simultaneously maintaining a collegial and collaborative atmosphere.
We take leadership roles in research centers and facilities, and have numerous connections with other departments on campus and worldwide. Illustrative examples of these activities are the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, the Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanoTechnology, the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, the Paula Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, the Northwestern University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental Center, and the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts. Particularly noteworthy are our collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab that are facilitated by the Northwestern-Argonne Institute for Science and Engineering, the Northwestern Synchrotron Research Center, and the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center.
Our department combines this broad range of research areas with excellence in education, offering undergraduate and graduate programs that train the next generation of leaders in science, technology, education, and policy. We are dedicated to building diversity in the field of materials science and welcome students, postdocs, and researchers of all backgrounds to our community. Active student organizations play a critical role in guiding the department. Together, we strive to improve the quality of life on our campus and beyond.
I hope that you find the spectrum of our activities inspiring and invite you to explore our website to learn more.
Mark C. Hersam, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Director, Northwestern University Materials Research Center