About Us

Professor and Graduate Program Director Joshua Zide is the new Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Joshua Zide
Professor and Chair

Our research focus areas include materials constructed from biomolecules, soft nanomaterials, materials for biomedicine, optoelectronic materials, composites, molecular beam epitaxy, materials in the environment, nanoparticles and III-V semiconductor materials.
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The Materials Science and Engineering (MSEG) Department at the University of Delaware is a world leader in research and education related to the design, synthesis, processing, and characterization of solid organic, inorganic, and hybrid materials.

The MSEG Department evolved from an interdisciplinary center established between the College of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences. Faculty and students in MSEG are involved in a wide array of projects focusing on biomaterials, photovoltaics, and nanocomposites. There are strong collaborations and interactions with established areas of excellence on campus including the Center for Composite Materials, the Institute for Energy Conversion, and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute.

Degrees Offered

The MSEG department currently offers an undergraduate bachelors of science and master’s and Ph.D. degrees as well as a number of undergraduate minors. There are also newly available opportunities for Delaware students from other engineering departments as well as from Arts & Sciences to receive a combined 4+1 bachelor’s/master’s degrees in MSEG with as little as one extra year beyond the traditional 4-year undergraduate program.

Facilities

The MSEG department has a wide range of state-of-the-art characterization equipment available, including a suite of electron microscopes and related equipment in the W. M. Keck Imaging Facility. MSEG faculty are playing a leading role in the design and specification of new equipment for central facilities space to be located in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory (ISE-LAB).

Competencies of the MSE Graduate

Professional Competencies of the MSE Graduate

  • Exhibit effective verbal and written communication skills, including formal training in technical writing and oral presentation
  • Demonstrate experience in accomplishing goals through both independent efforts and teamwork
  • Possess the interpersonal skills necessary to survive and excel in competitive environments, including practice in cross-cultural communication (such as between disciplines, cultures, genders, educational levels)
  • Have a thorough understanding and demonstration of the skills associated with leadership and decision making
  • Be intimately familiar with global industry/government lab cultures and the work done there
  • Understand the importance of mentorship in achieving career goals
  • Develop strong ethical values with respect to both data and professional conduct
  • Possess the intellectual curiosity and engagement that will lead to life long learning

Technical Competencies of the MSE Graduate

  • Think critically and be able to evaluate research in MSE and related fields including an ability to judge quality and reliability of data/information, and an ability to create experimental and theoretical protocols to test scientific and engineering hypotheses
  • Possess the conceptual, quantitative and integrative skills to solve research problems
  • Have an intellectual depth in kinetics, thermodynamics and the use of analytical, statistical, and computer methods to investigate materials
  • Understand basic structure-property relationships in metals, polymers, inorganic, semiconductor and biological materials
  • Possess an understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of materials science and have a realization of the systems integration that occurs in the real-world use of materials