Current Research

Materials Science & Engineering: Course 3

Undergraduates who are interested in the program should select a general area of research from those listed below and talk directly to the faculty members. Your UROP application should be routed to the Course 3 UROP Coordinator for approval before the research is started. This requirement applies to UROP research both for credit and for pay.

Students proposing to work for credit should plan to provide to the Coordinator some indication of the substantive nature of their work during the term, generally a written report (of approximately 10 pages or more, commensurate with the number of units). Students who elect credit must register with Prof. Wuensch in either 3.UR or 3.URG. Nine units is usually the maximum number of credits. All students interested in receiving more than the 6-9 unit maximum, must consult with Prof. Wuensch before submitting the application.

Our department requires all lab workers to complete the Institute Environmental Health and Safety training on Chemical Hygiene and Handling Hazardous Waste (Click here for MIT EHS training), along with any additional training that is provided by the laboratory in which the student will be working. For information contact, Prof. David K. Roylance, EHU officer, x3-3309, roylance@mit.edu or Mr. Joseph A. Glogowski Jr., EHS Coordinator, x3-5386, jaglogow@mit.edu.

Faculty Research Descriptions

Prof. Alfredo Alexander-Katz, 12-009, x2-2238, aalexand@mit.edu

Theoretical and computational soft-materials science. Biologically inspired drug-delivery vectors. Self-assembly of biological photosynthetic antennas.

Prof. Antoine Allanore, 13-5066, x3-8468, allanore@mit.edu

Sustainable materials extraction and manufacturing processes.

Prof. Samuel M. Allen, 4-132, x3-6939, smallen@mit.edu

Phase transformations, growth of silicon wafers for solar cells

Prof. Polina Anikeeva, 8-425, x3-3301, anikeeva@mit.edu

Bioelectronics. Design and medical implementation of the optoelectronic devices for monitoring and manipulation of neural activity. Using biological molecules as building blocks for optoelectronics.

Prof. Ronald G. Ballinger, NW22-117, x3-5118, hvymet@mit.edu

Corrosion, Environmental degradation, Materials development for current and advanced power reactor systems, mechanical properties, fracture mechanics.

Prof. Geoffrey Beach, 6-101, x8-0804, gbeach@mit.edu

Spintronic materials and devices for new approaches to data storage and processing. Experimental studies of spin excitations in nanoscale magnetic structures. Development of ultrafast magneto-optical and electrical probes of magnetization dynamics.

Prof. Angela Belcher, 76-561A, x4-2800, belcher@mit.edu

Biology to make nano-hybird materials for electronics, defense, energy, and medicine.

Prof. W. Craig Carter, 13–4053, x3-6048, ccarter@mit.edu

Research in Computational Materials Science.

Prof. Gerbrand Ceder, 13-5056, x3-1581, gceder@mit.edu

Computational materials sciences, free energy computation, atomic-scale simulation, first-principals study of structure and properties of materials. Design and testing of Li battery electrodes (experimental).

Prof. Yet-Ming Chiang, 13-4086, x3-6471, ychiang@mit.edu

Properties and processing of inorganic materials for electronic, structural, electrochemical, and electromechanical applications and devices. Studies of defects and interfaces in materials. Materials and device design for batteries and other energy storage and generation technologies.

Prof. Michael J. Cima, 76-653G, x3-6877, mjcima@mit.edu

Chemical and physical phenomena involved in processing of materials for biomedical applications of therapeutic and diagnostic devices.

Prof. Michael J. Demkowicz, 4-142, x4-6563, mikejd@mit.edu

Relating charge density distributions to stacking fault energies in HCP metal; Assessing the effect of grain boundaries on radiation-induced disordering in Ni3Al. Modeling high-angle grain boundaries; Calculating and measuring the elastic properties of solid-state interfaces Microstructure-preserving methods of joining nanocomposites.

Prof. Thomas W. Eagar, 4-136, x3-3229, tweagar@mit.edu

Welding and joining of metals, ceramics, composites, packaging of electronic materials, sensors for materials processing and manufacturing.

Prof. Yoel Fink, 36-419, x8-6113, yoel@mit.edu

Multimaterial fiber devices.

Prof. Eugene A. Fitzgerald, 13-5153, x8-7461, eafitz@mit.edu

Characterization of Semiconductor Materials.

Prof. M. C. Flemings, 8-407, x3-3233, flemings@mit.edu

Solidification processes; micro-gravity processing; semi-solo forming.

Prof. Lorna Gibson, 8-135, x3-7107, ljgibson@mit.edu

Mechanics of cellular solids:  current projects include aerogels, nanofibrillar cellulose composites, bamboo structural products, plant mechanics.  Biomaterials evolution: structural biomaterials.

Prof. Silvjia Gradečak, 13-5094, x3-9896, gradecak@mit.edu

Nano-electronics and photonics; correlation of structural, optical, electronic and magnetic properties of semiconducting materials; inorganic nanowires, nanowire heterostructure and devices; III-V semiconductor epitaxial films and low-dimensional systems; development of advanced electron microscopy techniques.

Prof. Jeffrey C. Grossman, 13–5049, x4-3566, jcg@mit.edu

Computational and experimental materials design with applications in energy conversion and storage. Targeted areas include solar cells, thermoelectrics, solar fuels, desalination, green cement, and shale gas.

Prof. Linn W. Hobbs,13-4054, x3-6835, hobbs@mit.edu

Electron microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy applied to defects in ceramic materials, biomaterials, oxidation of metals, ancient cements, nuclear ceramics and radioactive waste; computer modeling of glass structure.

Prof. Niels Holten-Andersen 13-5018, x4-5027, holten@mit.edu

Bio-inspired polymer materials design.

Prof. Dorothy Hosler, 8-106, x36991, hosler@mit.edu

Ancient technologies (Mexico) especially metal and pottery processing, and object fabrication, design and use.

Prof. Darrell Irvine, 76–261C, x2-4174, djirvine@mit.edu

Biomaterials, bioengineering, drug delivery, tissue engineering, vaccine development

Prof. Klavs F. Jensen, 66-566, x3-4589, kfjensen@mit.edu

Functional micro- and nano-structured materials and devices for chemical and biological applications with emphasis on systems for which microfabrication provides unique advantages. Catalysis for energy conversion.

Prof. Lionel C. Kimerling, 13-4118, x3-5383, lckim@mit.edu

Properties and processing of electronic materials; new optical and electronic phenomena, devices and circuit applications, process control and defect engineering.

Prof. Heather N. Lechtman, 8-437, x3-2172, lechtman@mit.edu

Archaeological materials and ancient technologies.

Dr. David Paul, 13-5030, x3-3306, dipaul@mit.edu

Research: major field of research is concerned with the dynamics of the magnetization process in ferromagnetic materials. This has much application to modern technology including the read-write processes used in computers. Consists mainly of theoretical analysis together with computer stimulation.

Prof. Caroline A. Ross, 13-4005, x8-0223, caross@mit.edu

Magnetic properties of thin films, small particles and materials for data storage; magnetic, magnetooptical and multiferroic oxide thin films; self-assembly of block copolymers and other systems for nanolithography and device fabrication.

Prof. David K. Roylance, 6-113D, x3-3309, roylance@mit.edu

Mechanical properties of polymers and composites.

Prof. Michael F. Rubner, 13-5106, x3-4477, rubner@mit.edu

Investigations of polymer thin films with properties that mimic those found in structures created by nature such as water-harvesting, self-cleaning and anti-reflection properties.

Prof. Donald R. Sadoway, 8-203, x3-3487, dsadoway@mit.edu

Batteries for transportation (electric vehicles) and for stationary applications (solar, wind, smart grid); environmentally sound processes for metals extraction (rare earths, ferroalloys, zirconium, and titanium).

Prof. Christopher Schuh, 6–113, x2-2659, schuh@mit.edu

Metallurgy: Processing of metals with nano-scale structures; Design of microstructures; Mechanical properties of advanced metals; Nanomechanics.

Prof. Subra Suresh, 4-140, x3-3320, ssuresh@mit.edu

Nanomechanical technology of engineering and biological materials.

Prof. Edwin L. Thomas 13-5094, x3-6901, elt@mit.edu

Nano and microstructural control through innovative processing techniques to provide new/enhanced mechanical and photonic performance of polymeric/inorganic materials systems.

Prof. Carl V. Thompson, II, 13-5077, x3-7652, cthomp@mit.edu

Processing and properties of thin films and nanostructures for applications in electrical and electromechanical micro- and nano-systems.

Prof. Harry L. Tuller, 13-3126, x3-6890, tuller@mit.edu

Clean energy: fuel cells, photoelectrochemistry, electronic nose sensors; nanoionics; microsystems; electroceramics.

Prof. Krystyn J. Van Vliet, 8-237, x3-3315, krystyn@mit.edu

Mechanical behavior of chemically complex materials and composites. Experimental and computational investigations of nanocomposites, polymers, and biological materials. Most projects involve adaptation of instrumented indentation and/or atomic force microscopy.

Prof. Bernhardt J. Wuensch, 13-4037, x3-6889, wuensch@mit.edu

Synthesis of new compounds followed by analysis of their crystal structures through x-ray or neutron scattering data. The majority of our materials are oxides or silicates with prospects for displaying fast-ion conduction of oxygen, a property which is then measured as a function of composition and temperature.