The faculty’s research interests span the subdisciplines of materials science and engineering and generate more than $10 million in project funding each year. The research areas in the department range from biomaterials, fuel cells and smart materials to nanoscale materials and computational materials science and design, among many others.

Besides their research activities, faculty members’ responsibilities include teaching and advising students, maintaining academic standards, disseminating research results,and performing other services for the University. Many have received prestigious awards for their research contributions and productivity. The materials science and engineering faculty heads a number of interdisciplinary research centers. The Materials Characterization Laboratory, providing a home for major analytical instrumentation like FESEM, HRTEM, SEMS, ESCA, and others. The faculty also participate in CISP or a focus for interdisciplinary research activities (the Electronic Materials and Processing Research Laboratory, the Particulate Materials Center, Center for Dielectric Studies, Smart Materials Integration Lab).