The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) has an enviable position among its contemporaries in the nation. The department attracts highly talented, hard working students.
Flexible Curriculum
A flexible curriculum with the choice of specialization areas and ample laboratory experience, small class size, dedicated faculty, and learning-based educational methodology provides graduates an excellent start to a life-long career in the materials science and engineering profession.
Students tailor their programs to their goals and interests through the selection of a specialization from the three available: ceramic materials, metallic materials and polymeric materials.
Over the last couple of decades, the US industry has undergone a major restructuring to improve its efficiency and responsiveness to customer needs. Guided by our External Advisory Council, we’ve been a leader in responding to the needs of industry.
The BS/MS Program
The Department also created the concurrent BS/MS program, which provides a unique opportunity for qualified students to pursue both bachelors and masters degree programs simultaneously. With careful planning, the students in this program may complete both BS and MS degree requirements in five years and earn a graduate research assistantship stipend during the final two years.
Research Centers Associated with Materials Science and Engineering
Department faculty and students participate in the research programs of ISU’s Ames National Laboratory, Microelectronic Research Center, and the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation.
These strong associations lead to one of the best research programs in the nation and provide on-campus laboratory employment opportunities for our undergraduate students. The excellent research facilities of these centers attract and retain outstanding faculty and graduate students.
As the only materials science and engineering program in Iowa, the MSE Department is recognized as the state’s primary source of materials science expertise.
MSE enjoys working partnerships for research projects, design projects, and co-op/internship experiences for students. Industry, students, and faculty all benefit from the Department’s active participation with the Center for Industrial Research and Service.
Career Opportunities
How can we develop lighter, stronger, and more fuel-efficient aircraft and automobiles?
What new materials are needed to produce better replacement parts for the human body–bones, teeth, joints, and heart valves? What can we do to make smaller and faster computers?
If the challenges posed by these questions interest you, consider a career in materials engineering. As a materials engineer, you will develop and produce new materials for products ranging from aircraft wings to surgical tools to bicycle frames.
Because of the diversity in the field, you could work in most sectors of industry, including aerospace, transportation, electronics, biomedical systems, manufacturing, and research.
What Materials Scientists and Engineers Do
Materials scientists and engineers study the structure and composition of materials on scales ranging from the electronic and atomic through the microscopic to large structures.
By experimenting with chemicals, atoms, and minerals, they
- invent and perfect new materials
- find ways to make traditional materials better
- produce materials reliably and economically through synthesis and processing
- research what makes materials change and how to predict those changes
In the MSE Department at Iowa State, faculty have
- made houses safer by developing a refrigerator cooling agent that uses the properties of metals instead of harmful chemicals
- improved healthcare by developing new ceramic materials for bone implants and unique glass fibers for laser surgery
Faculty also discovered the second-hardest material, next to diamond, for use in a variety of products and they are well on their way to creating materials for the next generation of fuel cells that may one day replace the gas engine in your car.
Starting Salary
Average starting salary for recent ISU graduates with a BS degree in Materials Engineering ranks among the best within the College of Engineering at approximately $64,000 annually.
Companies We Work For
Iowa State MSE graduates are working for companies such as Caterpillar, John Deere, Rockwell Collins, Lockheed Martin, Pella, 3M, Intel, Alcoa, Owens Corning, Boston Scientific, IBM, General Motors, Boeing, SSAB and Ames National Laboratory.
Typically, 30-40% of MSE alumni pursue graduate degrees at some of the nation’s top institutions, such as University of Illinois, Purdue University, University of Michigan, Penn State, and UC Berkeley.
Nearly 100 percent of our alumni have in-profession placement within six months of graduation.