Venkatraman Gopalan, professor of materials science and engineering and of physics, has been appointed associate head for graduate education and chair of the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE), effective July 1.
“Venkat will be an excellent associate head for our department’s graduate program,” said Susan Sinnott, professor and head of MatSE. “He brings a wealth of experience in research, education, and leadership. His experience in training the next generation of researchers and fostering collaborative environments will make him a driving force for the graduate program.”
The IGDP in MatSE is grounded by strong research and education, encompasses the entire spectrum of materials, including inorganic and structural materials, electronic and photonic materials, polymers and biomaterials, and computational materials science. The program’s interdisciplinary approach allows students to participate in research beyond MatSE including other departments within the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the College of Engineering, the Eberly College of Science, the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Applied Research Laboratory, and other Penn State entities.
“I am honored to be selected as the next associate head for graduate education in MatSE,” Gopalan said. “Our top-ranked graduate program is a leader not only in research but also in the well-rounded education we provide to the next generation of materials scientists and engineers.”
Ranked ninth in materials engineering graduate degree programs for 2025 by U.S. News and World Report, the IGDP in MatSE is consistently ranked among the top materials science and engineering graduate programs and offers students a world-class education.
“My goals for graduate education are to further improve upon our high standards in interdisciplinary research, especially in embracing emerging cross-cutting areas and in mentorship that fosters excellence and empathy in our students, preparing them for effective leadership careers in academia and industry,” Gopalan said.
Gopalan’s research focuses on optical materials, including ultrafast optical techniques to probe their electronic and lattice structures and the design and discovery of new nonlinear optical materials for lasers and optical communications technologies.
Gopalan earned his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, located in Chennai, India, in 1989 and his doctoral degree in materials science and engineering from Cornell University in 1995. He joined the MatSE faculty in 1998 and became a full professor in 2007.
Gopalan will succeed John Mauro, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, who will assume the role of department head.