School of Materials Science & Engineering at Georgia Tech

Staff Spotlight: Kathy Hicks ✨

Kathy, a Faculty Support Coordinator, is going on two years in MSE. When asked about her favorite part of working at Georgia Tech and MSE, she said the following:

"I like the networking opportunities available on campus, and I appreciate some of the connections I've made working at MSE."

Thanks for all that you do, Kathy!

Your summer break might feel like fun and freedom, but it’s secretly powered by materials science. From the asphalt under your wheels to your car to your snack packaging, everything is engineered to get you there.

Congratulations to Kishor Gupta and Sungmee Park on receiving the MSE Research Scientist/Engineer Award, recognizing their outstanding research contributions across the MSE community.

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Lauren Garten on receiving the MSE Faculty Research and Education Award! Nominated by staff, faculty, and students, she was recognized for her outstanding research and educational contributions.

MSE Staff Spotlight✨ Congratulations to Tristen Jones and Jasmin Frett-Hodge for winning the MSE Staff Exemplary Performance Award! This award recognizes them as current MSE staff members who render outstanding performance in support of instructional, research, and/or administrative activities; they were recognized by MSE students, staff, and faculty!

Summer essentials aren’t just about vibes—they’re materials science in action.

Sunscreen protects against UV radiation, popsicles rely on freezing point depression, and sunglasses are engineered to filter light and reduce glare.

Science is everywhere—even in your beach bag. ☀️🍦😎

MSE was pleased to host Dr. Jeffrey Neaton for this year’s Pritchett Lecture. His talk explored how advances in computational physics and machine learning are enabling data‑driven, physics‑based design of next‑generation energy materials, from complex semiconductors to porous systems. Thank you for sharing your insights and engaging our community in the future of materials discovery.

Graduate Spotlight ✨ Samir Sarma

Congratulations to Samir for graduating with his BS in MSE! Fun fact: he's shaving his head this summer for funsies! His favorite memory at GT is being involved in the Filipino Student Association, especially the Halo-Halo culture show every year. Congratulations, Samir! Good luck with your next steps!

Monday was National Bath Bomb Day and it is a reminder that even simple materials like baking soda and citric acid can come together to create something relaxing, colorful, and fun. Bath bombs are a perfect mix of science and self care.

Today is the 2026 Brumley D. Pritchett Lecture

We are proud to host Dr. Jeffrey Neaton from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as this year’s speaker. We look forward to an engaging lecture highlighting advancements in materials science at Georgia Tech.