Administrator
Tsuyoshi Minami, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall HUB - Robeson Center
Complete the RSVP below by Thursday, April 9
If you have any questions please email events@matse.psu.edu.
Dear MatSE friends and alumni,
This month’s newsletter is dedicated to one of the greatest strengths of the Penn State Materials Science and Engineering community: our alumni. As I reflect on the profound impact of our department, I am struck by the extraordinary work our graduates are doing across industry, academia, and government laboratories. Wherever materials shape the modern world (i.e., just about everywhere!), you will find MatSE alumni leading, innovating, and making a tangible difference.
Our alumni play essential roles in advancing technologies that matter. They are developing next-generation materials for energy storage and sustainability, enabling breakthroughs in electronics and photonics, strengthening infrastructure, advancing biomedical technologies, and driving innovation in manufacturing at every scale. Many hold leadership positions at global companies, national laboratories, and research universities, while others are building new enterprises that translate materials research into real-world impact. Collectively, they demonstrate the breadth of what a Penn State MatSE education makes possible.
Equally important is what our alumni represent to our current students. Alumni are living examples of the many paths a materials scientist or engineer can take, and the many ways one can build a fulfilling and impactful career. When students hear directly from alumni—through mentoring, guest lectures, industry collaborations, or informal conversations—they gain clarity, confidence, and inspiration. They see not only where they are today, but also where they can go in their future careers.
Continued alumni engagement is therefore vital to the health of our department. Whether through hiring interns and graduates, sponsoring research, advising student organizations, serving on advisory boards, or simply staying connected, alumni help ensure that our curriculum remains relevant and that our students are well prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead. These connections enrich the educational experience and reinforce the sense that MatSE is not just a department, but a lifelong professional community.
The stories featured in this issue highlight the diversity and impact of our alumni, and they remind us that the success of our department is measured not only by research publications and rankings, but (more importantly) by the people we train and the contributions they make throughout their careers. We are immensely proud of our alumni and grateful for the many ways they continue to give back.
Thank you for remaining engaged with Penn State MatSE and for serving as ambassadors, mentors, and role models for the next generation. Together, we continue to strengthen the impact of materials science and engineering at Penn State and beyond.
We Are!
John C. Mauro
Department Head and Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
When Benjamin O’Donnell began exploring potential college majors, he knew two things for certain: he was interested in engineering and he loved chemistry. His research led him to materials science and engineering, a field that checked all the boxes for the kind of work he envisioned pursuing after graduation.
O’Donnell had many reasons for choosing Penn State’s nationally ranked materials program: strong job placement, walkable campus, and proximity to home. It didn’t take him long to feel at home in the MatSE. “The professors were knowledgeable, helpful, and always willing to spend time with you,” O’Donnell said.
Originally drawn to polymers, he imagined developing a playground material that would stay cool to the touch even after hours in the hot sun. But as he explored the breadth of disciplines within materials science, he discovered that metallurgy came more naturally to him than polymers and ultimately captured his interest.
During his sophomore year, representatives from Ellwood City Forge Group visited one of his classes. Even though they announced they were not seeking interns, O’Donnell handed them his résumé anyway. That single moment of initiative set the stage for a year long relationship. He kept in touch with Ellwood’s team, emailing updates on his coursework and sharing progress on academic projects. That next year when Ellwood’s scholarship competition opened, they already knew his name and his drive. He earned both the scholarship and a competitive internship.
That internship proved transformational. O’Donnell wasn’t given busywork, he was entrusted with real engineering challenges, including failure analyses worth tens of thousands of dollars and hands on investigations on the shop floor. “The culture was so family oriented,” he said. "I never felt like an intern."
O’Donnell graduated in 2023 with his bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering. Today, as a metallurgical engineer at Elwood, O’Donnell works primarily with aerospace clients, helping forge and heat-treat high-performance alloys destined for aircraft and even space applications. He credits Penn State with giving him the scientific foundation and confidence to succeed, “Materials science takes a curious mind. You must keep asking why. Penn State taught me how to do that.”
The foundational skills and mindset O’Donnell built at Penn State continue to shape his career defined by curiosity, resilience, and purpose.
Penn State has nominated four undergraduates for the 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, a highly competitive national award that recognizes potential leaders in research in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
Penn State was proudly represented at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) annual conference held in Columbus, Ohio, where MatSE alumni Nathan McIlwaine and Katelyn Kirchner earned accolades.
The MS&T technical meeting and exhibition highlights technical innovation at the intersection of materials science, engineering and application. The meeting, which is held each fall, is organized by a partnership of leading materials science-related societies: the American Ceramic Society, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology and the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.
Power sources used in devices found in or around biological tissue must be flexible and non-toxic, while still powerful enough to support demanding technologies such as medical devices or soft robotics. To achieve this balance, researchers at Penn State are taking inspiration from a “shocking” place: electric eels.
Despite the prevalence of synthetic materials across different industries and scientific fields, most are developed to serve a limited set of functions. To address this inflexibility, researchers at Penn State, led by Hongtao Sun, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering (IME), have developed a fabrication method that can print multifunctional “smart synthetic skin” — configurable materials that can be used to encrypt or decrypt information, enable adaptive camouflage, power soft robotics and more.
