Ceramic Science and Engineering Introduction
If
the first thing you think of when you hear the word "ceramic" is
a coffee cup--you're right. Coffee cups are very traditional
ceramic products. Other traditional ceramics include construction
materials like concrete, bricks, or glass.
But ceramic materials are also
the stuff that is enabling the Information Age, improving
your golf game, and taking us
into space. The same types of materials that have been
used for decades to build buildings and roads, and make our
dinner
plates, are now being used in high-tech applications. Designer
ceramics include engine parts that enhance performance,
fiber optics for high speed communications, bioceramics for
medical
implants, ceramic elements for integrated electronics,
and heat resistant tiles for the space shuttle.
One key to the widespread use of ceramics is the abundance
of inexpensive raw materials--like sand--that are used to make
this class of nonmetallic, inorganic materials. Penn State's
ceramics program has evolved over the years to become a scientifically
oriented engineering program that prepares students for a wide
range of careers. They learn the techniques that allow them
to investigate materials properties, synthesize new materials,
or design materials structure at the microscopic and atomic
scale, or develop new applications for ceramics.
Ceramic scientists and engineers hold jobs in all sectors
of the economy. From traditional fields to cutting edge technologies
associated with electronics, biomaterials, energy and storage
devices, nuclear materials, and renewable energy devices, our
graduates are actively recruited by companies and universities
across the country. |
Undergraduate Advisor to Students in Ceramics Option:
David J. Green
Professor of Ceramic Science and Engineering
230 Steidle
814-863-2011
green@matse.psu.edu |
Undergraduate Ceramic Science and Engineering Option
The undergraduate specialization in Ceramic Science and Engineering
covers the manufacture and use of inorganic materials. The
program prepares students for operating, research and development
positions, and graduate study. Many of the graduates find employment
in fields that depend on ceramic materials including the iron
and steel, electronic and communications, energy generation,
aerospace and automotive industries.
During the junior and
senior years, students interact daily in small courses with
faculty who are internationally recognized as experts in the
ceramic field.
The program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 telephone:(410) 347-7700
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