Featured News
Vanessa Chan bridges the gap between innovation and the market
The Jonathan and Linda Brassington Practice Professor in Materials Science and Engineering is the inaugural vice dean of innovation and entrepreneurship at Penn Engineering. Read more.
Christopher Murray Elected 2024 NAI Fellow
Christopher B. Murray, Richard Perry University Professor in Materials Science and Engineering and in Chemistry, has been elected to the 2024 class of National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows, one of the highest honors bestowed upon academic inventors. Read more.
Qubits to qudits: Using quantum mechanics to transmit information more securely
Penn (Liang Feng Group) and CUNY researchers collaborated to develop a device that uses quantum principles to relay information securely—an advance that could improve encryption in critical service areas like banking and health care. Read more.
An idea rooted in ‘twistronics’ yields an electrifying, ‘dizzying’ outcome
In a study published in Nature Magazine, Penn Engineering and Penn Arts & Sciences, Professors Ritesh Agarwal, Penn Materials Science and Engineering. and Eugene Mele, Physics and Astronomy, investigated spirally stacked tungsten disulfide (WS₂) crystals and discovered that, by twisting these layers, light could be used to manipulate electrons. The result is analogous to the Coriolis force, which curves the paths of objects in a rotating frame, like how wind and ocean currents behave on Earth. Read more.
Battery Innovation: Extending Lifespan and Capacity Through Self-Healing Materials
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Associate Professor Eric Detsi is tackling one of the biggest challenges in addressing climate change by developing effective energy storage solutions for renewable sources like wind and solar, as current battery technology is insufficient to meet the projected sixfold increase in global capacity needed by 2030. Read more.
Scientists observe composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time
A collaborative team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan, led by Department of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Christopher B. Murray, has observed for the first time composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time. The discovery could enable engineers to more reliably manufacture next-generation materials by combining different nanocrystals. Read more.
MSE Events
MSE Thesis Defense: “Chain and Pendant Architecture Effects in Associating Polyolefins” Eli Jared Fastow
Seminar: “Merging Bio-integrated Materials and Devices with Ultrasound: Opportunities in Sensing, Modulation and Actuation” – Dr. Jiaqi Liu, Ph.D.
MSE Seminar: “Soft Microparticle Assembles to MAP Scaffolds” Tatiana Segura – Duke University
Announcement
What is Materials Science?
Understanding the behavior of materials has given rise to countless innovations and breakthroughs ranging from stone tools, which led to the discovery of fire in the prehistoric period, to silicon chips and silicon solar cells in our modern era. In a broad sense, materials science involves studying the synthesis, processing, structure, properties and performance of materials.
Learn More
