Materials Science and Engineering focuses on the discovery of new materials, the tailoring of materials systems for optimum performance in a given technological application, and the design of novel materials solutions for emerging technologies. MSE is an interdisciplinary field incorporating elements of chemistry, physics, biology and/or engineering to derive and control the connections between structure (at length scales ranging from sub-atomic to macroscale), the processing necessary to achieve that structure, the fundamental properties (electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical, etc.), and their performance. These correlations are investigated using advanced materials characterization techniques and theoretical/computational analysis. Many of the most pressing scientific and technological challenges faced by humanity are constrained by the limits of currently available materials. The discovery, design and development of enabling materials is at the core of solving current and future scientific and engineering grand challenges, and benefit industries involved in electronics, advanced sensors, communications, human health, transportation, manufacturing recreation, energy conversion and storage, and environmental sustainability.
Current research programs include nanomaterials, nanostructures, nanoelectronics, nanodevices, nanocharacterization, device/system packaging materials, materials for fuel cells and related alternative energy systems, biocompatible materials, soft materials such as biological materials and polymeric materials, electronic and photonic materials, hybrid materials, interfacial engineering of materials, and multifunctional materials. Faculty with relevant research are affiliated with the Integrated Nanofabrication Research Facility (INRF), the National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC), the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), the Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP), the Laboratory for Electron and X-ray Instrumentation (LEXI), and the Irvine Materials Research Institute (IMRI), the Institute for Design and Manufacturing Innovation (IDMI), the advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC), and the Materials Design and Synthesis Center (MDSC), among others.
The MSE graduate degree program is hosted by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Faculty who may serve as advisors are listed as affiliated with the MSE Department and include faculty with strong materials science and engineering research programs from other departments. The formal degree that is awarded upon successful completion of the program is either the M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering.
The Materials faculty at UCI have special interest and expertise in all areas of modern materials and technologies, including biomaterials, energy materials, advanced ceramics, polymers and nanocomposite materials, structural and nanostructured metallic materials, micro/nano-device materials, device/system packaging materials, and multifunctional materials.