The Department of Materials Science and Engineering

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  • 1992
    Materials Research Institute Formed

    Materials Research Institute (MRI: https://www.mri.psu.edu/) was formed in 1992. The institute was housed in Building 230 at Innovation Park in State College. MRI provides leadership both at Penn State and in the materials community worldwide, coordinating a multitude of materials-related activities, encouraging researchers to share equipment and facilities, and fostering collegial exchange of knowledge and expertise.

  • 1992
    Undergraduate Degree Option in Electronic and Photonic Materials Launched

    The MatSE Department created an undergraduate degree option in Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM). The option prepared students for careers in the design, synthesis, and characterization of materials used in electronics, telecommunications, and optical systems.

  • 1992
    Particulate Materials Center Established

    The Particulate Materials Center at the Pennsylvania State University was  established in 1992 to address the needs of particulate related industries for education, research, and technology transfer. 

  • 1996
    First ABET Review

    The MatSE department’s first ABET review took place in 1996. The department was certified as four separate programs with four separate curricula.

  • 1998
    Department Consolidates Programs Into One Major

    The department consolidated four programs into one major, Materials Science and Engineering, with four options. All degrees from this date are in MatSE, as opposed to ceramic science and engineering, metals science and engineering, or polymer science and engineering.

  • 1998
    New Department of EGEE formed

    The carbon part of materials science and engineering combined with the mineral engineering program to form the new College's new Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.

  • 2000
    Creation of the Center for Innovative Sintered Products

    The Center for Innovative Sintered Products (CISP) was created and first directed by Dr. Randall M. German. CISP was created to develop cutting-edge technology for the processing of sintered materials. 

  • 2001
    Materials Research Laboratory joins MRI

    The Materials Research Laboratory (created in 1962) was integrated into the University's Materials Research Institute (MRI), making materials research the largest research enterprise at Penn State.

  • 2003
    Penn State joins the World University Network

     Penn State becomes part of an international educational and research partnership, the World University Network (WUN), which was launched in April 2003 by a group of research institutions of international standing to further international exchange.

  • 2004
    Newnham was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal

    Dr. Robert Newnham was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal for his basic discoveries in ferroelectric materials, helping propel the growth of electronic devices, such as cell phones, and his contributions to the field of acoustic imaging, an honor that placed him among some of the greatest scientists of the modern era. 

  • 2011
    Millennium Science Complex opens

    The building represents half a Billion-dollar investment in materials research infrastructure and Huck Life Sciences by Penn State. The MSC contains 276,000 square feet and almost 10,000 square feet of class 100 and class 1000 clean room space.

  • 2014
    The Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics is formed

    Penn State joins with NC State to form the Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics. The center replaces the Center for Dielectric Studies at Penn State, which was the longest running industry/government NSF research center.

  • 2014
    The Center for Two-Dimensional and Layered Materials (2DLM) is formed

    The center’s origins are tied to the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program, specifically the 2-DARE initiative (Two-Dimensional Atomic-layer Research and Engineering), launched in 2014.

  • 2016
    The Clive Randall research group releases the cold sintering process

    This new process allows materials typically sintered at temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius to be sintered at temperatures around 300 degrees Celcius and below. Applications include solid-state batteries, ceramic/polymer composites, along with environmental and recycling implications.

  • 2016
    Launch of the 2D Crystal Consortium-Materials Innovation Platform

    The 2D Crystal Consortium-Materials Innovation Platform (2DCC MIP) is launched at Penn State by Dr Joan Redwing. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the 2DCC is focused on the development of two-dimensional (2D) chalcogenides for applications in next generation electronics beyond silicon for digital circuits and flexible electronics. 

  • 2016
    Steidle Building re-opens

    Steidle Building re-opens after a two-year, ~ $55-million-dollar renovation. The renovation created over 23,000 square feet of new laboratory space while preserving the history and aesthetics of the original 1929 building.

  • 2020
    Funding of the Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics Manufacturing

    The Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics Manufacturing (3DFeM2) is one of the 44 active Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) programs funded by U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) oOffice of Basic Energy Science (BES). 3DFeM2 enables technologies exploiting the third dimension in microelectronics for functions beyond interconnects for low power, non-volatile 3D memory above CMOS logic.

  • 2024
    The Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance is launched

    The Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance (SCIA) was launched by Penn State University as a coalition of industry leaders, academic institutions, and government partners, with the goal of making the United States the central hub for research, development, and workforce training in silicon carbide (SiC) crystal technology.

  • 2025
    Center for Glass Research revitalized

    Center for Glass Research was revitalized as a new glass research center between Penn State, Alfred University, and Missouri Science and Technology. It continues the Penn State history in glass that began back in the late 1930’s. The center’s interdisciplinary approach—integrating fundamental research with advanced experimental and computational methods—sets a model for industry-academia collaboration.