The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State engages in research that advances materials products and systems. To make these advances, our research begins by looking at the complex relationship between a material’s properties, structure, processing, and its performance. The research of our faculty spans across the major materials classes and is organized into focus areas.
Our faculty administers $22 million in research funds. Members of the department engage in collaborations all across campus, including with all departments within the College of Engineering. In collaboration with these departments, research is conducted using high-tech equipment housed in world-class research facilities where students and faculty can achieve their research and educational goals. These facilities include the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory, the only DOE laboratory in the country that is fully integrated into a university campus.