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Imagine, December 2025/January 2026

Dear MatSE friends and alumni,

As we close out the year and look ahead to 2026, I have been reflecting on the profound impact our department continues to have, not only in our classrooms and research labs, but across the materials industry and society at large. Penn State’s Senior Vice President for Research, Andrew Read, recently noted, “We are addressing some of the biggest challenges of the twenty-first century… it’s critical that we continue to communicate the tangible impacts of our research on the world and our students.” That spirit of meaningful, outward-facing impact is woven throughout the articles in this month’s newsletter.

One example of the innovative spirit driving our department forward is a graduate training program focused on sustainable materials processing supported by a $3 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The five-year initiative, “Data Science–Driven, Sustainability-Centered Advanced Materials Processing,” or Sus-Mat, is part of the NSF Research Traineeship program and aims to integrate data science into materials and process design. This program will transform how we prepare the workforce of tomorrow—equipping emerging engineers and scientists to create new and innovative solutions for the materials industry and to strengthen the nation’s long-term economic resilience.

Another exciting development is the launch of the Center for Glass Research (CGR). Building on Penn State’s longstanding leadership in glass science, dating back nearly a century, CGR brings together faculty, students, and industry partners to accelerate innovation in areas ranging from sustainable manufacturing to next-generation materials for energy and communications. This new center will serve as an international hub for solving urgent technical challenges while training the skilled workforce urgently needed by the glass industry.

LionGlass, which was born right here in our department, continues to demonstrate how Penn State discoveries move swiftly from fundamental research to industrial adoption. In this issue, you will read about three major partnerships: Vitro Architectural Glass, North America’s largest architectural glass manufacturer, signed a multi-year research agreement to scale up LionGlass for use in flat glass applications across architectural and automotive markets; Verallia, one of the world’s leading packaging manufacturers, has partnered with Penn State to explore LionGlass for low-carbon consumer products; and Bormioli Luigi, a global producer of premium glassware, has renewed its research agreement after a highly successful trial run. These collaborations highlight LionGlass’s potential to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions across the global glass industry.

We also recognize the outstanding leadership of Clive Randall, Evan Pugh University Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, who will step down after twelve years as director of the Materials Research Institute (MRI). Under Clive’s direction, MRI has grown into one of the nation’s premier institutes for interdisciplinary materials research, one deeply connected to industry through shared facilities, collaborative research programs, and state-of-the-art characterization services. Clive’s vision has strengthened the entire materials ecosystem at Penn State and has created unprecedented opportunities for our faculty, students, and corporate partners. We are grateful for his exceptional record of service.

Each of these stories reflects a broader truth, viz., that the impact of MatSE extends far beyond campus. Our faculty and students are advancing materials that enable cleaner energy, safer infrastructure, new manufacturing paradigms, and a more sustainable planet. Industry turns to Penn State because our department delivers expertise, creativity, and results, and because our graduates become leaders who drive innovation from day one.

Thank you for your continued support of our department’s mission in research, education, and service. Together, we are strengthening the impact of materials science across the Commonwealth and around the world.

We Are!

John C. Mauro
Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Department Head of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State