Forging the future of steel:
2025 Taylor Lecture highlights innovation, responsibility, and the power of metallurgy
The 2025 Nelson W. Taylor Lecture in Materials focused on the theme of “Forging the future of steel” and featured four lectures that explored the evolving role of steel in society, manufacturing, and sustainability. Keynote speaker Sir Harry Bhadeshia unraveled the mysteries of steel with wit, wisdom, and groundbreaking science—challenging convention and inspiring innovation. 
Bhadeshia, professor of metallurgy at Queen Mary University of London and emeritus Tata Steel Professor at the University of Cambridge, is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in designing stronger, more sustainable steels. His keynote, titled “Diffusion in iron: Sometimes invigorating, at other times lethargic,” challenged conventional thinking about phase transformations and diffusion theory in steel, blending deep scientific insight with practical applications. Read more
Undergraduate students participate in MS&T25
The Chapter of Material Advantage at Penn State attended the Materials Science and Technology (MS&T) technical meeting and exhibition in Columbus, Ohio. The event exposes students to networking, learning, and fun. Students had the opportunity to interact with professionals from all areas of materials science.
The Student Speaking Contest is a national competition held at the annual MS&T conference and sponsored by Material Advantage. The contest encourages undergraduate students to present technical papers and to improve their skills in the techniques of presentation.
This year Pavan Kumar Reddy Pothula, MatSE undergraduate student, was awarded first place for his presentation “Role of Annealing in Improving the Quality of PMMA-Transferred Monolayer MoS₂.” Emma Eleson, MatSE undergraduate student, was awarded first place in the Undergraduate Poster Competition and placed third in the Student Speaking Contest for her work “Synthesis of doped ZnO Varistor Nanoparticles for Enhanced Electrical Properties.”
Photo: Emma Eleson, Nathan Smith, assistant teaching professor and adviser to Material Advantage, and Pavan Kumar Reddy Pothula.
Aiden Ross awarded Diamond GEMS Award at MS&T
Aiden Ross, graduate student, was awarded the ACerS Basic Science Division’s Graduate Excellence in Materials Science (GEMS) competition’s Diamond GEMS Award.
The award is open to all graduate students who are making an oral presentation in any symposium or session at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) meeting.
From the Department Head
Dear MatSE friends and alumni,
It’s truly a pleasure to share highlights from one of our department’s most honored traditions, the Nelson W. Taylor Lecture in Materials. Each year, this event brings our community together to celebrate scientific excellence, human stories, and the shared curiosity that drives our field forward. The Taylor Lecture is the most prestigious honor bestowed by our department, and over the decades, it has featured some of the most inspiring voices in materials science, including six Nobel laureates. This year’s theme, “Forging the future of steel,” felt especially meaningful as it connects our Commonwealth’s proud industrial past to the exciting innovations shaping the future. Read more
