NC State Materials Science

Big congratulations to Dr. Farhan Ishrak on successfully defending his Ph.D. dissertation at NC State MSE.

Dissertation title: “Solid-State Design of SmCo5-Based Metal-Matrix Structural Magnetic Composites”

Farhan was advised by Professor Bharat Gwalani.

Join us in celebrating this major academic milestone and wishing Dr. Ishrak continued success in research and engineering.

Congratulations to the MSE Class of 2026! 🎓

On Friday, May 8, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering celebrated 65 graduates during its spring ceremony at Hunt Library.

The graduating class included:
🔴 5 doctoral graduates
🔴 19 master's students
🔴 41 undergraduate students

Members of the Class of 2026 are heading into industry positions, internships and graduate programs across the country. We are proud to welcome these talented engineers and scientists into the MSE alumni community.

Additional ceremony photos will be added to the Flickr album as photographers continue sharing images from the event. The current preview gallery features photography by Charlie Dickens.

View the photo gallery, ceremony recording and graduation program at the link below. ⬇️

Exciting News! We are thrilled to announce that Tatiana Proksch will be defending her Ph.D. thesis for the Doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

Thesis Title: "Nanoscale Insight into Coupled Electro-chemo-mechanical and Thermo-(electro-)mechanical Responses in Functional Materials"

Join us for this insightful defense in Engineering Building 1 (EB1) conducted in person.

📅 Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
🕒 Time: 1:00 p.m.
📍 Location: 3018 EB1
👩‍🏫 Advisor: Professor Nina Balke

Let's come together to support Tatiana in this significant academic milestone! 👏

Today’s Senior Design Showcase and awards delivered standout creativity, color and collaboration across every team.

MSE’s signature twist sets this event apart: students do not just name awards, they design and build them. Teams create each award using low-fidelity materials, which pushes ingenuity and sharpens storytelling. Pipe cleaners, pool noodles, Dixie cups and hot glue become the medium. The simpler the materials, the stronger the ideas.

This year’s awards captured that spirit:

Slide 1: The Relentless Refiners Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 2: Sisyphus Award (Team Kymera International)
Slides 3: Professionally Spoken Award (Team American Woodmark)
Slide 4: Crafty Characterization Award (Team Hallman Foundry)
Slides 5: Artificially Articulate Award (Team TE Connectivity)
Slide 6: Industry Baby Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 7: Aesthetic Appeal Award (Team Wolfspeed)
Slides 8: Concise Creation Award (Team Wolfspeed)
Slides 9: Characterization Collectors Award (Team Georgia Pacific)
Slides 10: Individual Award, Happy to Be Here Award (Taylor Sharp)

Each build reflected clear thinking, strong teamwork, and resourceful ex*****on under constraints.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. Your work shows how creative problem-solving translates from the lab to real-world impact. We look forward to what you build next after graduation on Friday.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. students! We welcome friends and family to join us as we honor the Class of 2026.

📅 Friday, May 8, 2025, at 2:00 PM | Doors open at 1:30 PM
📍 Hunt Library Auditorium, NC State Centennial Campus
🍽️ Reception in the First Floor Atrium of Engineering Building 1 after the ceremony

🅿️ Parking is FREE on Centennial Campus during the event.
🎟️ Each graduate is guaranteed 6 guest seats, with the option to request more.
♿ Accessible seating available: no notice or special tickets required.

Let’s celebrate our newest MSE grads in true Wolfpack style! 🐺❤️🖤

A full house for the 15th Annual Davis Lecture!

We were proud to welcome Yury Gogotsi, a global leader in nanomaterials research, who shared insights on “Building Blocks for Technology of the Future: MXenes and Beyond.”

Our students had the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research and see how materials science is driving advancements in areas like energy, electronics and beyond.

The Davis Lecture continues to be an important way we bring leading voices in the field to campus by connecting our community with the ideas and innovations shaping the future.

Link to the article is on our linktree.

Congratulations to our 2026 MSE Senior Award winners! 🎉

Each year, the NC State Department of Materials Science and Engineering celebrates graduating seniors who go above and beyond in leadership and scholarly achievement.

🏆 Grace Harvey received the MSE Senior Award for Leadership for her work strengthening the MSE community as Lead Undergraduate Ambassador, expanding outreach to Engineering First-Year students and helping many discover materials science and engineering for the first time.

🔬 Eli Rodrigues received the MSE Senior Award for Scholarly Achievement for his exceptional academic record and his research on advanced oxide materials in the Xu Research Group, including twisted oxide membranes and next-generation electronic materials.

Both Grace and Eli will represent MSE as nominees for the NC State College of Engineering Senior Awards.

We are proud of their accomplishments and can’t wait to see where their paths take them next.

Read the full story at http://ncst.at/KLec50YBby6

Don't miss the 15th annual Davis Lecture today featuring Professor Yury Gogotsi, the Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Endowed Chair at Drexel University and founding director of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute.

His lecture, “Building Blocks for Technology of the Future: MXenes and Beyond,” will explore emerging nanomaterials and their potential to shape next-generation technologies.

📅 4 p.m.
📍 James B. Hunt Jr. Library Auditorium, NC State Centennial Campus

We look forward to welcoming you to this special event.

NC State Engineering Open House is almost here 🎉

Join us Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for this rain-or-shine drop-in event for prospective and admitted undergraduate students. No registration required.

NC State Materials Science will have liquid nitrogen demos, information sessions and tours of the undergraduate labs. Come meet our faculty and student ambassadors, and learn more about the major!

Plan your visit and find parking details: http://ncst.at/MqAt50YyUgg