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 long 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 highly 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 Northwestern’s Materials Research Center, the Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanoTechnology, the Institute for Sustainability and Energy, and the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts. Particularly noteworthy are also our collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory.
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 far beyond.
I hope that you find the spectrum of our activities inspiring and invite you to explore these pages to learn more.
Peter W. VoorheesChair and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Professor of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics
Co-Director, ChiMaD